Third Time's a Charm
by RazedRainbow
Summary: In the heat of the moment, some ponies have a habit of letting things out. Sometimes they are minor things that most just shrug off and forget about in a matter of milliseconds. Sometimes they are things that, once revealed, shake the very foundation of their existence. Rarity's latest revelation falls into the latter.
1. Chapter 1

_She danced upon air with the grace of an angel. The clouds, the atmosphere, and every inch of the universe were all at the mercy of her dainty steps and supple wing beats. The sound of a string quartet hummed in her ears, carrying visions of statues, paintings, high-class parties and high-class wine on each delicately strummed note. She let her eyes open, and she stared at the crowd with a half-lidded gaze that said, "Yes. Your eyes do not deceive you. I am real."_

_She rose into the sky, higher than the bravest of pegasi dared to dream. The crowd gasped, but her tranquil expression and dazzling wings hushed them. There was no need for them to fear. Goddesses do not die. Goddesses soar through the heavens themselves. Had it been the night rather than the day, she would have reached out and touched the stars. The tiny lights would then fold and transform, molding themselves until even they bowed to the Queen of the Sky._

_Looking down at the lowly ponies, she smiled. Their eyes glowed with admiration, and the heat of their love filled her heart with sweltering joy. Sweat seeped from her pores, ran down her face and smeared her makeup. However, she did not cringe or even wipe it away. While a lady did not sweat, a Goddess did not worry._

_She grinned and spread her majestic wings. Shafts of polychromatic light rained down on the stadium, and the burning admiration grew. Their love was too much, she had to speak. She wanted them to hear what the voice of beauty sounded like._

_So she parted her pristine lips and spoke in a voice that she was sure would be remembered for eons._

"_Look upon me Equestria, for I am Rarity!"_

_Suddenly, a weight fell from her back and pulled her down with it._

_Rarity fell into the blue and white depths, legs flailing and lungs burning from her screams. The clouds rushed past, as did the stadium, as did the wide-eyed spectators, as did meter after meter. Each scream snatched another second of life away from her._

_Staring up at the sky, hope glimmered in her heart for a brief second. Three small dots appeared against the cerulean backdrop and grow as they neared her. Like three angels, they chased after the falling unicorn, and like a demon knocked them away with her flailing legs, rendering her potential saviors unconscious._

_She continued to fall, hope slipping away with each passing meter._

_She passed through a strong current, which rolled her over until she was facing the earth. The air rushing past blew her disheveled mane out of her face, giving her a perfect view of the end of her world._

_Rarity squinted and could make out individual lines on a single blade of grass._

_She opened her mouth for one last scream._

_And then something grabbed her from behind, knocking the air out of her. She felt two strong forelegs wrap themselves underneath hers, and the torrent of air ceased briefly before starting up again. However, this time she was soaring parallel to the ground. The grass brushed against her hooves as she zoomed towards the forest. She flinched, and cursed the gods. She had just been rescued from smashing into the ground and now she was about to smash into a tree. Death seemed to be inevitable._

_But she was pulled up a second time, jerked away from Death's grinning maw once more. She looked over her shoulder, desperate to catch a glimpse of her savior. All she could make out was the silhouette. The sun highlighted her rescuer's form, but did not allow for a clear view of their features. However, she knew that she was in the grasp of a pony—a pegasus to be exact—and that the figure had a somewhat feminine figure: muscular yet still retaining distinctive curves._

_And despite this revelation, Rarity, who had always exclusively had a taste for stallions, was utterly lascivious. Something in the back of her head told her to fight the urge. Something in the front of her head told her to pounce._

_The latter won out._

_She rolled over and wrapped her arms around this faceless creature. With as much grace as possible, she pulled their heads together, lips connecting slightly._

_The shadows dissipated..._

* * *

"_Rarity!"_

Rarity shot out of bed, landing directly on the carpet. Bristles prodded her cheeks as she gasped for air. She lifted her sleep mask and rapidly glanced at her surroundings. No grass, no dust, no broken bones—just her, her room and her creations. Rarity laid her head down on the comfortable carpet and sighed sighed, rubbing the side of her head with a shaky hoof.

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle called out again.

"Come on! Get up!" Rarity muttered to herself, placing her quivering hooves on the ground. She slowly lifted herself up, knees shaking and popping as she rose. The clicking joints stung her ears and made her cringe. _So barbaric, those dreadful sounds_, she thought as she stood still, waiting for her legs to stop wobbling.

The sound of tiny hooves firmly connecting with wooden stairs slid under Rarity's door. Her brow furrowed. _Come on, Rarity. Get it together. You don't want her to see you like this. The questions, the prodding, she'll never let you live it down._

Rarity could feel her little sister's hoofsteps in the floorboards. She glanced at herself in the mirror and groaned. Her mane was a floppy, stray strand covered mess. The rest of her face was equally unladylike. She had yet to apply any makeup and her false eyelashes still sat snugly in their case on her vanity.

The door swung open, hitting the wall with a dull thud. A ball of yarn fell off a nearby shelf and rolled along the floor, stopping when it lightly tapped Sweetie Belle's hoof. The younger of the white unicorns looked at the other with a furious expression.

"Come on, Rarity! You promised you were going to teach me levitation today!"

Rarity tried to force a grin. She caught sight of herself in the mirror out of the corner of her eye. Her attempted smile wouldn't fool a blind pony.

"Um, Rarity? Are you okay?" Sweetie Belle asked, cocking her head to the side. "You look horrible."

"Oh, I'm fine, Sweetie Belle. I... uh, just woke up. That's all." Rarity paused and racked her mind for something that would keep the awkward conversation from drifting any further downstream. "Um, give me a minute or two to spruce up, and I'll be downstairs to give you a lesson. Might even cook a scrumptious breakfast before. Does that sound good?"

Sweetie Belle beamed, frustration forgotten at the promise of food. "Yeah. I mean, I was going to make you breakfast, but since you're offering, I guess I'll wait," she piped, trotting out of Rarity's room with a noticeable skip in her step.

Once the hoofsteps had ceased, Rarity silently thanked Celestia. If there was one thing that would make her nerves worse it was Sweetie Belle's 'cooking.' She shuffled to her vanity, and opened the top drawer with a burst of magic. For a normal pony, applying the amount of makeup Rarity wore on any given day would be an all-day effort. However, Rarity was well-versed in the art, and was looking dazzling in a matter of minutes.

It also helped that she was able to apply it unconsciously, because her attention had drifted about as far away from Carousel Boutique as possible.

The Best Young Flyers Competition had been months ago. Or was it a year or two now? Rarity couldn't remember the exact date, but she _could_ remember everything that had happened: her wings, her arrogance, nearly dying, being saved at the last moment by Rainbow Dash. Those memories were still as clear as they had ever been. After all, near-death experiences aren't things one forgets.

But that failed to explain the dream.

Rarity had never had a nightmare related to the Competition before—not even the night after—yet she had woken up with a pounding heart and the feeling of falling fresh in her mind. She looked at her calendar, saw that it was Friday, and went through her inner-planner. Aside from her weekly spa date with Fluttershy that afternoon, and a gown fitting session with Mayor Mare on Monday, the whole week was free.

No flying competitions to speak of.

No reasonable trigger for such memories.

She groaned and rubbed her temples. There was nothing in Equestria quite as unsettling and headache-inducing as feelings without reason. Like a cliffhanger ending to one of her bitstore romances, Rarity wanted answers. Unfortunately, the only thing she found when she dredged her mind was more murky depths.

"Perhaps some breakfast will clear my head," she announced to herself as she delicately applied her second eyelash. Rising from her stool, she gave herself a once-over in the mirror. As always, her sense of aesthetics had done her wonders; even with her tormented mind she looked completely blissful. Rarity sighed one last time before walking out of her bedroom, the smell of burning eggs greeting as soon as she set hoof in the hall.

One thought about the dream did linger in her mind, though.

_Why in the name of Celestia and Luna did I kiss her?_

* * *

The cup fell to the floor with a crash and a shatter, and Sweetie Belle giggled sheepishly. It was the fourth teacup she had managed to obliterate in three tries. How Sweetie Belle had managed to teleport one teacup into another, and then proceeded to set the incombustible material on fire, remained a mystery to Rarity. Sure, magic hadn't come easily to her—it never came easily for anypony—but she hadn't destroyed the basic laws of science and nature in the process.

Rarity sighed and levitated a broom and dustpan to the carpet, sweeping up the shards and disposing of them in the wastebasket. Once she was sure that there were no remaining sharp objects for her to step on, she turned back to Sweetie Belle and sighed.

"Alright, let's try this once more time," she said as she rubbed her face with a hoof. Fine china was far from cheap, and she was already down to three cups. She loved her sister dearly, but she was also beginning to think of this magic _lesson_ as little more than a waste of time and dishes.

Sweetie Belle looked up at her, nervous smile barely visible beneath her blush. "Y-you sure, Rarity?" she stuttered out, eyes downcast. "This hasn't exactly gone well. Maybe I shoul—"

"Nonsense, Sweetie Belle!" Rarity proclaimed, her sisterly instincts and refusal to fail at any task taking hold. "You just need some more practice. Why, I remember when I was your age. The first 'magic' I ever performed left poor Opal-wopal bald for a month." She reached out and cradled Opalescence's face in her hooves. "You didn't like that, did you Opal-wopal?" Opalescence simply stared at her with an unamused expression.

"Did you set her on fire as well?" Sweetie Belle muttered.

Rarity chuckled, releasing her peeved cat. "Well, no, but it applies just the same," Sweetie Belle mumbled and glared at the floor. _Not helping_, Rarity thought. _Try something else, Rarity._

Rarity thought about what an 'exceptional' sibling like Applejack would do in such a situation, and slowly and awkwardly trotted to Sweetie Belle's side. She wrapped a foreleg over her little sister's back—although it was really more of a hover than an encouraging embrace—and smiled.

"What I'm trying to say is that I was atrocious at magic when I was your age, and look at me now!" She glanced over at the singed spot at the far end of the carpet. "If anything, the fact that you are doing what should be impossible at such a young age is rather... encouraging." Rarity calculated that it would cost twenty bits to fix the carpet. A new carpet in itself would fall into the thirty to forty bit range. It took all her might to repress a sigh.

Sweetie Belle looked up at her, eyes wide with wonder. "Really?"

Rarity nodded, giving Sweetie Belle another pat on the back.

Sweetie Belle beamed. "Alright! Let's do this!" she cried out, jumping in the air with a hoof pointed skywards. She landed in an awkward heap, but quickly hopped back to her hooves, a look of pure determination set on her face.

It was difficult for Rarity to put another teacup's life on the line, but a 'good' sister's life is never easy. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she set the immaculate cup, covered from base to rim in oriental patterns, on her cleared worktable. To be safe she had moved her sewing machine, fabric and mannequins to a storage closet down the hall but, considering how bad the lessons had gone thus far, she still fretted for their safety.

"Okay, Sweetie Belle. Remember the first rule—"

"Don't think about grabbing the cup. Just grab it."

"Precisely, darling. Now, are you ready?"

Sweetie Belle gave her a cocky smile. "You bet!"

She gritted her teeth and stared the teacup down. Rarity winced as she saw her sister's horn glow with a purple aura. Slowly, the same aura encased the teacup, and a sliver of empty space formed below the cup. It was barely a millimeter high, but the fact that the cup hadn't exploded into bits and pieces yet was progress.

Beads of sweat formed on Sweetie Belle's forehead as she lifted the cup a fraction of a centimeter more. Rarity's eyes grew wide. She hadn't expected her little pep-talk to work this well. The cup was levitated high enough for Rarity to see the wallpaper on the back wall. It started to wobble slightly, and Rarity quickly jumped in, wrapping the cup with her own burst of magic. She lowered it back onto the table delicately, releasing it when she heard a small thunk.

Sweetie Belle flopped back onto her haunches, panting and wiping her brow with a foreleg. "So... how'd I do?"

"Splendid, Sweetie Belle. Absolutely splendid!" Rarity said in a singsong voice. She would be lying if she said she was happier for Sweetie Belle than the fact that she still had a cup to drink afternoon tea out of, but she was still happy for her sister. There had been times where she was worried that her sister couldn't perform magic at all—a common deficit on her father's side of the family.

"Ca—" Sweetie Belle coughed. After a couple of deep inhales she attempted to speak again. "C-can I try... it... again?" she gasped, although her eyes gleamed with the same determination as earlier.

Rarity rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm not sure about that, Sweetie Belle. Magic takes a lot out of a pony. Fatigue can lead to... accidents."

"Oh, come on, I'll be careful." She clasped her forehooves together and gave Rarity the 'puppy dog' eyes. "Please? Just one more try? This could be my chance to get my cutie mark!"

Rarity arched her eyebrow. "I thought you said you wanted to earn your cutie mark alongside Scootaloo and Apple Bloom?"

"I did, but they're not unicorns, are they?"

Rarity sighed. She had her there. Rubbing her neck once more, Rarity glanced out the window. The large clock tower in the center of town read a ten thirty. Her spa date with Fluttershy was at eleven. She did some calculations in her head—_carry the five... times the square root_—and concluded that she would be testing her luck if she tried to do both. Sweetie Belle was still looking at her with a longing expression. She bit her lip. _How can I say no to that face?_ She groaned. "Okay, one more time, but just one!" She lifted a hoof for emphasis.

Sweetie Belle nodded, but couldn't stifle her giggle as she prepared herself once more. She lowered her head and grinded her teeth. Once again, her horn slowly illuminated, and the cup began to shake and rise ever so slightly. Rarity watched closely, prepared to catch and/or dodge any flying materials. So far, the spell was going off without a hitch. In fact, it was going far smoother than last time. While it had taken Sweetie Belle minutes to just get the cup lifted on her first attempt, it had only taken her a couple of seconds on this attempt. She was getting better.

And her ego grew with it.

Without warning, Sweetie Belle began to turn her head to the right, carrying the cup along with it. By the time Rarity figured out what was going on, Sweetie Belle's horn was pointed directly at her. "Sweetie Belle!" Rarity cried out.

Though it was far from her harshest scolds, it was enough.

Sweetie Belle's head shot up in shock, the cup fell to the floor, and Rarity was suddenly encased in a purple glow. Seeing this, Sweetie Belle panicked and closed her eyes. She thought of someplace safe—someplace she would be safe from Rarity's inevitable lecture and punishment. She wished for protection.

She opened her eyes, expecting to see piercing blue eyes set in a vehement glare. Instead, she came face to face with the drapes. Perplexed, Sweetie Belle looked around the room. It was completely empty, save for the furniture and now-shattered teacup. "That's coming out of my allowance," she grumbled as she shuffled towards the door. She tried to slam the door with a telekinetic spell as she exited, but its heavy wooden frame barely shuttered. Sweetie Belle yelled in frustration and slammed it with her hoof.

"Rarity?" she called out. "Rarity? Where are you?"

* * *

Eight kilometers above Equestria, the air was pristine.

Eight kilometers above Equestria, the silence was pierced by a bloodcurdling scream.

Rarity's legs flailed, trying desperately to find stable ground amongst the thin air. For a second she hovered before dropping like a lead weight. She fell with such speed that the air felt like it was slapping her in the face. One of the fake eyelashes was ripped away by the wind. By the time the eyelash had stopped spinning and started to float through the air, Rarity was five hundred meters away, her frightened scream a mere hum in the summer sky.

"Help!" she screamed with all the force her lungs could muster. Her throat was raw by the second scream, and by the fourth her pleas were but strained squeaks. A gust of wind caught her, sending her tumbling through the air. The ground and sky blurred, and her stomach threatened to purge itself of breakfast. She tried to put a hoof over her mouth to suppress the bile, but the wind pushed and tugged on her legs like a deranged puppeteer. Rarity squeaked and swallowed, the bitter taste only increasing her urge to vomit.

She swore to herself that she was going to kill Sweetie Belle once she got home. _How dare she bite off more than she can chew!_ Rarity thought. She wanted to call Sweetie Belle's actions cold-blooded insolence, but she remembered that she hadn't exactly warned Sweetie about the dangers in the first place. Accidents was a very vague term—far too vague to be used as a proper warning.

Rarity had intended to go through the guidelines of magic with Sweetie Belle at some point, but it kept getting shoved down her to-do list. Looking back, maybe she could have let that hooficure slide just once. However, hindsight was simply that: hindsight. Nopony knows how much they've messed up until they're staring Death right in the eyes.

Death.

Rarity shuddered at the thought, and cursed herself for thinking about it, but ignoring it was simply impossible. The answer was right there, crystal-clear and magnified.

She was going to die.

Sure, she had been rescued from falling to her death twice before, but the third time's the one that always does a pony in. Death was playing its cards right; the weather patrol had already cleared away all the clouds, and, judging by the untouched field of green grass that stretched out below here, there was little chance that anypony would be able to hear her in time.

She groaned. Fate had a sick sense of humor.

Rarity's hopes and body continued to plummet as individual sections of field became evident. The patch she was about to splatter upon was greener than the one to its left, yet not nearly as well-maintained as the one to its right. It reminded her of a dress she would have designed for one of her friends.

_My friends._

Tears welled up in Rarity's eyes as she thought about them. In a matter of seconds she would never be able to tell Twilight Sparkle to 'get out more' again. She would never again be covered in confetti at one of Pinkie Pie's parties, or have her mane ruined by a water balloon Rainbow Dash swore she hadn't thrown. There would be no more long arguments with Applejack about getting mud on her boutique's carpet. Spike... she didn't want to think about what this would do to the poor thing—'crushed' would be putting it lightly. And her spa date with Fluttershy... well, she would definitely be missing that appointment now. Unless she crashed through the roof, but that seemed unlikely. She was in the middle of nowhere, thousands of meters above some unknown field.

She was dying alone.

She thought about her family: embarrassing yet lovable. She thought about how her father and mother, and how they were hundreds of kilometers away on a week-long cruise. They would come back to a funeral: the worst of all welcome home parties. Then she thought about Sweetie Belle, and her heart shattered. The guilt that her sister would feel would be too much for even the toughest of stallions to withstand.

And she thought about the dream. Rarity had never been one to believe in ill omens, but it was clear to her that the dream had a meaning. It was a warning sign: a big board that read, in big, bold, red letters "You Are Going to Fall Today!" Rarity wondered whether it was a premonition or a flashback. She leaned towards the latter; aside from the changed ending, it was exactly like her incident at the Best Young Flyers Competition. The ending remained hazy, but the rest of it was crystal-clear.

She tried to pry her eyes open, but the air currents kept them shut. Rarity couldn't help but be a bit disappointed. _If I am to die, I would prefer to be able to see it!_ Around Rarity the wind shrieked with the same intensity as her mind. _This is not a proper death. This is not a lady's death. This is not FAIR!_

Two kilometers above Equestria, Rarity wept, her sobs so loud that she couldn't even hear the sound of flapping wings.

The air blowing against Rarity suddenly shifted direction, and her head snapped forward, nose painfully ramming into something bony. She yelped and rubbed her aching nose, cracking her watery eyes open. Rarity blinked away the moisture and opened them again. What, or rather who, she saw left her breathless. _No way_, she thought. _No way._

Rainbow Dash smiled at her. "You've _really_ gotta learn how to stay on the ground," she quipped. Rarity, for her part, was unoffended. She could barely comprehend what was going on in the first place.

Seconds ago, she had been falling to her death.

But now she was floating through the air in the forelegs of Rainbow Dash.

The same pony who had saved her twice before.

The same pony from her dream.

Rarity had always heard that ponies do strange things in the heat of the moment. Some wake up in the morning and decide they want to write a novel. Some fly as fast as they can, directly into a body of water, for little more reason than to "see what happens." Still others go further. Rarity was one of those ponies.

Mere meters above Equestria, Rarity wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow Dash's neck and kissed her on the lips.

In the throes of sudden, unexplainable passion, she was only marginally aware of the rush of wind returning to her with a vengeance, or the fact that Rainbow's entire body had seized up, wings stock-still and breath held as if she were about to fly head first into the side of a mountain.

And then everything went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

Rarity awoke to a sheet of blazing light. She brought her hooves up to her face, clumsily thumping them against her horn and forehead before sliding them over her eyes. Her whole body was cooing at her to go back to sleep, but the brightness made sleep but a fleeting dream. It didn't help that the rays of light were absolutely torrid. And then there was the shaking.

"Get up!" a voice said. It was harsh and grating and eerily familiar. Rarity felt something grab her foreleg and pull it away from her face, then a rather heavy push against her ribs. Rarity whimpered but held fast; she was going to get up when she felt like it, and now was most certainly not that time.

"Come on, Rarity!" The voice was louder this time. "I know you're alive, so act like it." More shakes followed, bordering on outright punches.

"Mmmf," she mumbled, rolling onto her side. "No, mother... five more minutes, I implore you."

"Get up, Rares!" The voice was close enough for Rarity to feel the heat of its breath. It also smelled of daisy sandwich and cupcake: a most unflattering combination of stenches.

She shook her head, holding back the urge to gag, and tried to curl herself into a ball. Unfortunately, her legs weren't all fully awake just yet, and she guessed that her ball of protection was more like a question mark. "If you give me five more minutes, I'll cut Grandpa Belle's yard. I'll even weed his garden. Just five more minutes," she mumbled, shifting slightly. She winced as a brief pain shot up her side.

There was a loud sigh, then the voice muttered, "Fine."

Before Rarity knew what was happening, she felt two forelegs wrap around her midsection—their grip much, much stronger than her mother's—and begin to lift her to her hooves. Her ribs screamed out in a piercing agony, and she whimpered as the comforts of the ground seemed to grow further and further away. _Put me down_, she begged, though the only sounds to escape her lips were more grunts and whimpers.

And her pleas were answered, though not in the way she had hoped. A quick yelp emitted from behind her, and Rarity suddenly found herself with a faceful of grass and dirt, and a heavy weight pressing against her back. Her whole body wailed in protest, and she did the same.

"Off you ruffian!" Rarity rolled over, throwing the assailant off her back. Grumbling and groaning, she opened her eyes once more. The dreaded light returned with a vengeance, but this time she fought through it. The world came back to her in waves. First came the blurry outlines of clouds and the sky. Then the sun made itself apparent, glowing against the sky and beating down on her with a searing heat. Finally, the smaller things became clear: the endless plain stretching out in all directions, the cyan pegasus laying in a prone position beside her, the bugs crawling around—

_Wait!_

Rainbow Dash lay sprawled out in the grass, eyes set in a deathly glare that was aimed directly at Rarity. Groaning and grumbling, Dash rose to her hooves. "Finally," she muttered as she stretched herself out, first her back, then her forelegs and hind legs. Rarity had been able to raise herself into a sitting position by the time Rainbow started to stretch out her wings—or at least, tried to. Her right wing flapped without a hitch, but her left one seemed to want nothing more than to stay put. It moved, but slower, and Rainbow's face contorted with each movement.

"Drat," Rainbow muttered, kicking the ground. She bit her lip and attempted to hover. Her hooves got a couple of centimeters off the ground before she fell back to earth with a dull thump. Rarity had trouble restraining the giggle that threatened to burst from her mouth. Dash groaned and jumped back to her hooves.

"Well, isn't this just great!" she yelled, causing Rarity to fall backwards in surprise. Rainbow gave a loud and heavy sigh and started to pace around, stomping her hooves with each step. Rarity simply sat in place, trying to put the pieces together and wishing that the soreness that had seeped into every joint and muscle in her body would go away.

The events leading up to now were like a drunken stupor: hazy and half-remembered. She remembered that she had been giving Sweetie Belle a magic lesson when a spell had gone terribly wrong. She had been teleported here—well, kilometers above here—and had fallen and fallen. Then Rainbow Dash had swooped in and caught her, and she had...

_Oh pony feathers._

Heat rose up Rarity's face while a chill ran down her spine. She had kissed Rainbow Dash. Right on the lips, like a damsel snogging a knight after being rescued from a dark castle in a bleak, far-off land.

Rarity had hoped that it had been a dream—that she had simply been knocked out cold by a misfired spell—but her surroundings and injuries ripped her wishful thinking to shreds. She was most certainly not in her house. She doubted she was even in Equestria.

Not to mention the foreign taste in her mouth. Was that from the kiss? Why was it still there? Why was it kind of, sort of pleasant? Rarity growled and shoved her face in her hooves, partially to hide her red face and partially because of the throbbing headache that was banging away at her skull.

_Why? WHY?! What is wrong with me?_

Rarity was roused from her bout of self-pity by a shadow falling over her. She forced her wet and burning eyes away from the comforts of her hooves and looked up at Rainbow Dash, refusing to make eye contact, focusing on her mane instead. Her disheveled, flowing, lov—

No! Rarity felt the urge to slap herself across the face right then and there. Sure, she had always found Dash's mane to be alluring, but in the "fashionable" sense—a dazzling object of limitless and untapped potential. But, at this moment, in this context... no. No, she wasn't going to even think about it.

"You okay?" Rainbow asked, rubbing the back of her neck with her hoof. "That was a wicked spill."

"No, not really," Rarity said. "I cannot begin to list the parts of me that hurt."

Rainbow chuckled, though it lacked the luster it usually held. "Same here."

"How's your wing?" Rarity lifted a hoof and pointed, as if Rainbow couldn't tell that a part of her was hurting unless somepony told her. "Forgive me for assuming, but it looked like it was giving you some trouble a moment—"

"Pfft. Just a bruise, maybe a sprain. I'm not a doctor so I can't tell. It's not that bad—sore but, eh, I've had worse." She paused and sighed. "Still, flying's gonna be a pain in the flank." She shook her head and began to pace around again, looking at the sky.

Rarity stared at the grass, a wave of guilt rushing through her. And why shouldn't it? She was to blame. If only she had brushed off Sweetie Belle's fervent—albeit, rather precious and admirable—begging. If only she had given her a more proper warning. If only she had not kissed Rainbow Dash smack dab on the lips mid-flight for... whatever reason. If only, if only.

The headache was making a comeback, and she brought her hooves up to her temples. It was then that she felt her mane. It was plastered against the side of her face and caked in what she hoped was mud.

_And to top it off, I am absolutely filthy!_ Rarity felt faint. The worst part was that it was going to have to stay in its uncouth state. She was quite sure that there were no salons in the middle of... wherever she was.

She sighed, shook her head, stared at a nearby rock, and insulted herself for being so careless, so impertinent, so vile.

_You kissed her. Rainbow Dash. Her._

"Rarity? Helllooo, Equestria to Rarity!"

A sudden, shrill noise pulled Rarity from her distressed thoughts.

"Anypony home?!" Rainbow yelled into Rarity's ear, knocking her head with a hoof. Suddenly aware—and very much in pain—Rarity knocked Rainbow's hoof away and glowered. Sometimes, Dash was as mature and controllable as Pinkie Pie on Hearth's Warming morning.

"Rainbow Dash," she said, making sure to lift her chin slightly; a lady always shows who's in charge. "I would be ever so grateful if you would refrain from _hitting my head_!" All grace raced out of her near the end, being replaced by a most unladylike scowl.

Dash simply laughed. "Okay, Rares, okay. Sorry, you were just..." Rainbow lifted her forehooves and twirled them around her head, rolling her eyes and sticking out her tongue. When she finished and saw Rarity's blank expression, she concluded, "You were totally out of it."

Rarity sighed. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash. I've got a lot on my mind at the moment."

Rainbow chuckled once again, however this time it sounded far less merry. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Heh heh. That makes two of us," Rainbow said, shaking out her good wing. For a second, Rarity could have saw a hint of red on her cheeks. Was Rainbow Dash... _flustered_? No, it couldn't be. That wasn't a "Rainbow Dash" thing. Though, considering the situation, it made sense.

"Well," Rainbow Dash said after a moment's silence, "I've got good news and bad news."

"What's the good news?"

"I know exactly where we are. We're just south of Ghastly Gorge." Rainbow Dash laughed briefly. "Good thing you chose to try out skydiving in one of my practice fields, huh?"

"I was not skydiving!" Rarity said sternly. How dare Rainbow Dash accuse her of even considering such boorish pastimes. Preposterous!

"Okay. Chill, Rares." Rainbow Dash lifted a hoof, backing away. "Jeez. Anyway, you totally lucked out. I don't usually even use this field, but some pegasus circus from, like, Fillydelphia or Coltlombia or wherever had taken over my usual practice field." Rainbow Dash's nostrils flared and shook her head. "As expected, they were absolute crap. Horrible maneuvering, weak in the wings. Anyway, yeah. You're lucky."

Rarity forced a smile, but inside she was grimacing. _I sincerely doubt that._

"So, Ponyville's that way." Rainbow Dash pointed toward a vacant horizon that looked exactly like the other three. "By flight, it's about a two hour trip... and that's where the bad news comes in."

Rarity gulped. She knew where this was going.

"You wouldn't happen to know a teleportation spell, would you?" Rainbow asked, a foal-like smile tugging at her lips.

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash, but no."

Dash groaned and muttered, "Perfect." She slammed a hoof into the ground and bit her lip. For a second, Rarity wondered if she should hide behind something. But the anger faded away almost as soon as it had appeared, replaced by a frown and a gentle gaze.

"It's cool," she said quietly, pawing at the disturbed earth. She sighed once more before continuing, the same sigh that a doctor gives before delivering tragic news.

"Unfortunately, that means we're going to have to walk back."

Rarity's jaw dropped and her eyes shrunk to flea-sized dots. _No. Oh sweet Celestia, no_. She had just gotten this hooficure yesterday! Now it was to be ruined, taken from her like childhood innocence. She whimpered and looked at her hooves.

They were covered in mud. She rubbed them together and they felt rougher than sandpaper.

"Very well," Rarity muttered to nopony in particular. "How long will we be walking? Five hours? Nine?" She gulped. "T-twelve?"

"Uh..." Dash's smile was akin to Sweetie Belle's when she had just destroyed half of Rarity's stock of fabric while trying to make a dress for Opalescence. In short, Rarity knew the next words out of Dash's mouth would make her sick to her stomach.

"Two days."

Rarity squeaked. "T-t-t-two d-days?" she managed.

"Unfortunately."

"But, Rainbow Dash, you said that where we are—right here—is a two hour flight for you. Now, I am no expert of mathematics by any stretch of the imagination, but that simply does not check out."

"Two hours at top speed."

Rarity frowned. "Oh."

Rainbow Dash looked to her right—Rarity concluded that this was east, because of the rising sun.

"Well, we better get a move on," Rainbow Dash said. "If we start now, and keep moving, we'll reach the Ghastly Gorge by nightfall." With that, Rainbow Dash started to canter away from Rarity. For a long moment, Rarity sat there in silence, expecting Rainbow Dash to stop and come back. It wasn't until Dash turned around, glared at her, and gestured with her foreleg that Rarity realized that they were going. Right now.

"Come on, Rarity! We're wasting daylight."

Giving a nervous giggle, Rarity rose to her hooves and chased after Rainbow Dash. Her ribs weren't nearly as sore as they had been, and the rest of her body was free of pain altogether. Compared to Rainbow, she considered herself lucky.

There was that feeling of guilt again. If it hadn't been for her, they would be soaring back to Ponyville together. In only a few hours, Rarity would have been clean and safe and laying in her bed, treating herself to an extra-long siesta.

_But you just had to kiss her, you silly, stupid mare._

Rarity shook her head—a pointless gesture, but she needed to do something to keep her mind away from those areas. She knew she shouldn't have kissed Dash. In fact, she had no idea why she had kissed her in the first place. All thoughts about it simply led to headaches and frustration. There were no answers that she could think of.

So why bring it up? Rarity had no desire to delve into the topic, and Rainbow Dash had yet to even mention the kiss, so there was no reason to think about such things. Right now, all she should be worrying about was getting home. Nothing else.

And yet her mind kept slipping back, like an addict stumbling back to their demons. She just couldn't help but feel that she had to justify her actions—tell herself that it meant nothing.

It had been a reflex in the heat of the moment. She had thought for sure that she was dead, and then all of a sudden she was safe and sound. It was only natural; she was overjoyed to be alive, and she had done the first thing her mind said. Kiss her. Thank her. It was a very strange way to say "thank you" but Rarity took pride in the fact that she was quite a unique pony. In the end it was just a reaction: no feelings to speak of.

Or at least that's what she hoped.


	3. Chapter 3

No more than fifty paces into their journey, Rarity began to perspire.

The field was the evilest of illusions. While the ground appeared to be flat, it sloped up at an oddly steep angle—Rarity guessed that it had to be at least fifteen degrees. To make matters worse, the earth was a gunky mess of mud and bumps, making every step feel as if she were trekking up a waterslide.

"Rainbow... Dash..." she managed to choke out. "May we stop for... a moment? My lungs feel like they are on fire."

"Already?!" Rainbow didn't turn around, but Rarity was positive that her eyes were set in a vehement glare.

"Yes, Rainbow Dash, already." Rainbow shook her head, but Rarity ignored it and continued, "Not every pony is as attuned to climbing blasted mountains." Rarity hadn't noticed it before now, but she was having to gallop to keep up with Rainbow Dash's brisk steps.

"And I am?" Rainbow finally turned her head, and for a second their eyes locked, though not long enough for Rarity to read her gaze. "I don't even walk, like, ninety percent of the time, and I'm doing fine."

"Well, you are also an athlete, whereas I am a lady."

"Oh!" Rainbow Dash's voice cracked. Rarity knew that she had twisted Dash's nerves the wrong way. "So you're saying that because I'm an athlete, I'm not not a 'lady?'" Rainbow raised a hoof and waved it around at the last word.

"No, I'm not—Look, I... just forget it," Rarity sighed in defeat. "Can we please take a quick break?"

"No," Rainbow said flatly. "We've already wasted enough time."

"B-b-but I—"

"No."

Rarity gave a long, dramatic, high-pitched whinny and rose a foreleg to her head. Her hind legs hadn't received the message to stop, however, and she found herself stumbling forward, squeaking most unladylike words. Luckily for her, the whining had grabbed Rainbow Dash's attention—though in the Ready-To-Slap-Your-Face way—and Rarity was caught before her face could be introduced to the soggy earth. Unfortunately for her, her face landed against Rainbow Dash's chest.

The contact lasted only a fraction of a millisecond—she pulled away instantly. Or was she shoved away? She wasn't sure. Regardless, it was enough.

It was impossible for Rarity to tell where Dash's coat ended and the sweat began. She carried the scent of an athlete—that was to say, as far away from the smell of a bed of roses as one could get.

Yet, there was something else—a more pleasant aura hidden underneath the foul stench. Of course, Rarity concentrated on the sweeter smell. The scent filled her nostrils, painting the serene image of a vast, cloudless sky on a warm summer's day across her mind. It was amazing, it was...

_Wrong_! How dare her mind concoct such images from the smell of one of her friends! What kind of perverted ingrate would think such things?! Apparently, she would. She wanted to slap herself right across the face—maybe if she did it hard enough, it would erase these damned thoughts. _Why, it might just rid my mind of these wretched memories altogether._ The thought made her smile.

And yet, the thought of losing that moment—these feelings—made her chest sink.

Inside Rarity, gods and devils raged.

To the outside world, however, she simply stared... directly into Rainbow Dash's eyes. Glimmering blue connected with confused rose.

After a while, Rarity's wits came back to her. The voices lowered to a murmur, then ceased altogether, and she became acutely aware of the weight pressing against her shoulders. She blinked her vision back into focus and looked to her side, noticing the blue hooves keeping her coat and mane safe from the wretched, filthy earth. Then she dared to glance forward, and looked directly at Rainbow Dash.

Dash looked at her in the way that one looks at a foal covered in paint. Her head was cocked to the side, eyes squinted and mouth agape.

Rarity grinned, and gave a small chortle. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I swear, if it weren't for you I'm quite sure I'd never get off the ground." She forced a heartier laugh, but even she had to admit that it sounded as strained as a first time tuba player trying to hit a high "F." Rainbow stared at her, expression unwavering. Rarity laughed again, face growing red. "Because... I seem to be, uh, falling... you know, every two seconds. Heh. Get it?" She gave a toothy grin.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and muttered, "What the hay is your problem?"

Rarity sighed and looked at the ground. "You do not know how much I wish I had the answer to that."

Rainbow Dash slowly lowered her forelegs, letting Rarity back to the ground surprisingly gently. Rarity had expected her to just up and drop her. Then again, Rarity was becoming more and more used to her expectations shattering like a window in a barroom brawl.

When Rarity looked back up, she noticed that Rainbow was looking at her in a very peculiar way. She couldn't put her hoof on what exactly it was, but there was a glint of some sort lingering in her irises. No sooner had contact been made then did Rainbow clamp her eyes shut. She shook her head and turned around.

"Let's keep moving," she said as she began to trudge forward once more.

Rarity didn't speak a word of protest.

They walked, and they walked, and they walked some more. Rarity had no idea how long they had traveled—nor where they were. At the moment, she only knew two things. The first was that Rainbow Dash was just naturally fast—Rarity was glad that her legs had gone numb after the first kilometer, otherwise she was sure she would have collapsed by now. The second was that this area of Equestria, wherever it may be, was the most serene corner she had ever seen—even more stunning than Canterlot.

Normally, Rarity was a fan of the urbane way of life, but she would be lying if she said she didn't have a soft spot for more rustic locations. It was probably due to her upbringing. Sure, she was a fashionista, but a small town fashionista who used her rural surroundings as an inspiration.

Of course, even if she were the most snobbish Manehattanite in existence, she would have adored this location. It truly was an inspirational sight. So much so that Rarity began to mourn the fact that she didn't have the scroll nor the quill to sketch out the hundreds of ideas that were streaking through her mind. Dresses, dyed to resemble the towering purple slopes—white lace stretching along the neckline to resemble their snowy peaks. Hats and brooches made out of the blue, pointy flowers that surrounded her hooves (she picked a few with her magic and stuck them in her mane, just to be sure she had samples). Even the fallow ground underneath her hooves incited feelings and visions. Freedom. Naturality.

A small sigh escaped her lips as she fell deeper and deeper into a reverie filled to the brim with dresses and gems.

_So many ideas... so many_—

"Rarity! Hey, Rarity!"

Shaking her head back into reality, Rarity looked up and noticed that Rainbow Dash was no longer marching on before her. She looked to the sky out of habit, but Dash was, unsurprisingly, not there either. Rarity gulped, and for a second thought that she had illusions and vengeful spirits on her hooves.

Then, the voice called again: "Over here!"

Rainbow Dash was off to her left, waving a hoof and bearing a peeved expression. Rarity couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as she cantered towards Rainbow. As she drew closer, Rarity couldn't help but notice Rainbow shake her head, her lips moving in what Rarity was certain were muttered curses. Normally, she would be upset at Rainbow's refusal to even attempt to hide her uncouth behavior, but Rarity couldn't blame her; she was rolling her eyes at herself as well.

_Rarity, you are probably making Pinkie look calm and collected at the moment. Stop acting like the village "crazy."_

"So, do you still need a break?" Rainbow asked.

"That," Rarity said with a heavy exhale, "would be lovely."

"Then follow me." With that, Rainbow Dash turned and began to trot up an embankment that actually_looked_ steep. Rarity dreaded what burning sensations it would bring to her knees.

Rarity sighed. _'Oh let's take a break, Rarity,' she says as she keeps walking_. She didn't even bother trying to hide the grunt before she said, "Rainbow, if I may be so crass, could I ask you where you... where you're..." Rarity's jaw swung on its hinges as the words drifted off. "Huh?"

The forgotten remains of a farm stretched out across the top of the embankment. Dead trees, broken limbs scattered about their bases, covered the vast plateau. At the back stood a derelict house—all of its windows shattered. To the right of the house was a bent windmill, rocking back in forth in the breeze. Rarity flinched as the shrieking of its rusted joints echoed through the field. And to its right was a circular wooden structure about as tall as a pony. Rarity guessed that it was the remains of a silo.

"W-what is—where are w—huh?" Rarity muttered. They were in the middle of nowhere. What pony in their right mind would have even build a farm way out here? Clearly, it hadn't worked, but the sight of such a thing—in such a place and state of being—was nothing short of shocking.

Rainbow Dash chuckled heartily, drawing Rarity's attention away from the bizarre landscape. Assuming that she probably looked like a mare who had just fallen out the back of a turnip cart, Rarity straightened herself up—from her posture to her gaping maw. Rainbow simply shook her head and giggled. For a second they made eye contact, but Rarity forced herself to look away. For the most part, Rarity had succeeded in wiping the whole "kiss" thing from her memory, but each time she looked at Rainbow Dash—be it her back, front, or (especially) her eyes—the kiss came rushing back like a stampede of spooked cows, trampling over her calm and collected demeanor and leaving her a disoriented mess.

That was where she was at now: fiddling with her hooves and glancing at anything that was not cyan-coated, winged, or rainbow-maned. She was successful for only a few seconds. The trees on the left side of the field grew dull quickly, and she wanted to see if the ones on the right side had a little more luster. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash was to her right and directly in her line of vision.

Rarity hoped that Rainbow didn't notice her flustered face. _Of course she notices it, you dolt. You're white!_

Dash smirked at her, but seemed mostly unfazed by Rarity's actions. Rarity guessed that Rainbow was simply used to them by now. After a quick turn of her head (which let out a wave of pops and cracks that caused Rarity to cringe something awful), Rainbow Dash began to walk forward, headed towards the old house.

"You hungry?" Rainbow asked over her shoulder.

Rarity briskly trotted after the pegasus, surprising herself when she caught up with her rather quickly. "Yes, I'm positively famished."

"Well, do I have some good news for you..."

"What is it?"

"You'll see."

The walk to the house was a far less arduous—and far more interesting—one than Rarity had originally guessed. Debris of all sorts littered the ground, some rusted and revolting and some beautiful in their own little rustic way. One piece of debris in particular—a rusted wagon with a grass growing in its bed—made Rarity wish that she had a camera with her.

Much to Rarity's surprise, Rainbow Dash led her around the house. Rarity guessed that there must have been a shed behind the house that was used as a pantry, but the back of the house was just as empty and trashy as the front, if not more so. Rarity swore she saw old whisky bottles amongst the tall, dead grass. She scanned the area around her. Where there was moonshine and desolation, there were usually ravenous hobos just dying to get their hooves on a pretty mare such as herself.

However, there were no shady ponies to be found. Nay, there was only Rainbow Dash and the large apple tree she was staring up at.

Rarity walked up to the tree and looked up as well. Surprisingly, the tree seemed very much alive, looking as if it had been dug up from Sweet Apple Acres and planted here on that very day. Its leaves were a bright green, shining in the warm sun. And on nearly all of the branches were red delicious apples. While Rarity was not a big consumer of apples (at least, not compared to other friends and their apples-with-every-meal appetites), at the moment, those glowing red orbs were like the eyes of a god. She hoped that Rainbow didn't notice the strand of drool making its way down her chin.

Wiping the unruly trail of saliva away, Rarity was relieved to see that Rainbow Dash's attention was still locked on the tree. Her eyes were narrowed and a scowl was drawn across her face. As her pupils darted around, Dash sneered, and Rarity felt that she needed to speak up, lest Rainbow Dash suddenly assault a tree.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

Rainbow sighed. She glanced over at Rarity, then her left wing, and then Rarity again. Rarity didn't even have to wait for Rainbow to ask; she already knew what was coming. _You've put the poor girl through enough. At least save her her pride._

With a flash of her horn, Rarity grasped two of the apples and levitated them down from the tree, placing one in front of Rainbow and one before herself.

Rainbow pawed at the ground and took the apple in her mouth. She looked away from Rarity as she spoke, words muffled by the apple. "T'hanth, Ra'rity."

"Don't mention it," Rarity said, closing her eyes and smiling brightly. It felt good to be doing something for Rainbow Dash that didn't lead to the pegasus nearly getting them both killed for once. She hovered the apple to her lips and began to bite down. It was then that she noticed a peculiar taste. She pulled it away from her mouth, looked down at it, and—

"AHHHHH!"

Rarity fell back into an aged barrel, the apple falling to the ground. As Rarity hyperventilated, Rainbow walked over to the apple and looked at it. She picked it up in her hoof, examined it closely, then took a bite—inciting a retch from Rarity. Rainbow looked at her and shrugged.

"Wha's the mattah?" Rainbow said through a mouthful of apple. She swallowed before continuing, "It's just an apple."

"That is not an... _apple._" Rarity thrust a hoof at the fruit. "_That_ is the wretched spawn of Discord!" Her pupils shrunk as a thought crossed her mind. "Imagine the bacteria. Imagine the... _bugs_," she squeaked, spitting in the dirt and then wiping away at her tongue with one of her hooves.

Rainbow Dash stared blankly. "It's just a little bit dirty."

"That's exactly my point!" Rarity yelled, placing a foreleg over her head and leaning back against the barrel.

"You should be more worried about that spider on your shoulder."

"Yes, I probably should be more worried about the spider on m—SPIDER ON MY SHOULDER?!" Rarity sprung into the air and began to run around in circles, brushing at her right shoulder, then her left, all while screaming to high heaven. Her panicked prancing was halted by a hoof over her mouth. Rainbow Dash stared at her, laughing.

"Chill, Rares," Rainbow said, her voice cracking underneath the giggles. "I was just joking."

"Just... joking." Rarity snorted and looked at the ground, lips pursed. "That is not the kind of thing one jokes about, Rainbow Dash."

"I don't know. It was pretty funny."

"Not for _moi_," Rarity groused.

"C'mon, Rarity."

Rarity simply huffed and pouted. Rainbow Dash groaned.

For a while, Rarity just sat there, forelegs crossed over her chest, lips pursed, and eyes set on the ground in a most vehement glare. She was roused from her pity party by a weight pressing against her back. Slowly, she turned to look at the source, moving her eyes first, then turning her head centimeter by centimeter.

Rainbow Dash stood behind her, a foreleg draped over her shoulder. "Look," she began, pausing briefly to look away and muttered something just low enough that Rarity couldn't hear it. After a moment's pause, Rainbow looked back and continued, "I'm sorry."

Rarity sighed. "It's quite alright, Rainbow Dash. I shouldn't have reacted like that."

Rainbow shrugged. "You have to admit, it was pretty funny."

Rarity glowered. "I wouldn't go _that_ far."

"Okay, okay." Dash raised a hoof in protest. She got up and walked around in front of Rarity, who had gone back to pouting, and lifted her chin with a hoof.

"Get up and get a couple more of those apples down from that tree," she said. "There's a stream at the bottom of that slope over there." Rainbow pointed in the direction of the fractured windmill.

Rarity nodded and rose to her hooves. She felt a bit guilty about taking two extra apples, but there were still dozens of apples in the tree, so it wouldn't cause any long term problems, right? Not to mention, who else was going to eat them anyway? The birds? No, there was no problem with taking a couple more.

It took nearly no effort to pull two more of the apples down from the tree—Rarity was sure that even Sweetie Belle could perform this feat with no consequences.

_Sweetie Belle_...

She had been so occupied with... other thoughts, that she had completely forgotten about her sister. _The poor dear must be worried sick_. Rarity felt her chest sink and her throat clench up as she imagined her sister walking around the streets of Ponyville. Searching for her. Panicked. Scared. Alone.

And that was assuming that she hadn't accidentally teleported herself with that misfired spell. Or worse.

_No, Rarity. She's fine. She probably just went over to Sugarcube Corner or the library. Why, she might be with her friends. The Crusaders were planning on having a sleepover this weekend, weren't they? She'll be fine. She won't even know you're gone._

The wishful thinking did nothing to quell Rarity's worry, so she resorted to simple distraction. She levitated an apple over to Rainbow Dash and let hers hover in front of her face.

"Lead the way," she said to Rainbow Dash. Dash nodded and they both walked towards the infernally squeaking windmill.

* * *

Rarity did not know what she expected from the stream, but she certainly expected it to be more than this.

It was as wide as a twig and flowed with the same force as a sloth. Still, the water was cool and felt absolutely heavenly as it trickled down Rarity's face. She was so entranced by the soothing liquid that she completely forgot about the apple hovering in front of her face—or the fact that she was supposed to be using her magic to begin with.

The apple made its presence known when it fell into the spring, splashing more water against her face. Rarity sputtered and grasped it in her magic once more, twirling it under the current, acting like dropping it had been completely intentional. She even whistled a tune. It was all in vain, though. She could hear Rainbow Dash snickering like a schoolfilly beside her..

Bringing the now-clean and (hopefully) edible apple to her lips, Rarity couldn't help but notice that Rainbow Dash was down to the core on her third (Rarity had given Rainbow permission to eat the rest of the one she had dropped on the ground. After all, a lady does not eat after others).

Rarity wished that she had been blessed with a peagasus' metabolism. She was starving, but she had to keep her figure in check. One bite too many, and it would all go straight to her hips. _And who wants to buy dresses from a hefty maker?! Certainly not I, and I am sure that is mutual across the entire fashion community_.

_Of course, they probably wouldn't want to buy dresses from a..._

Rarity shook her head viciously, slinging droplets of water through the air and silencing Rainbow Dash's seemingly unceasing cackles. Rarity didn't even notice; she was well too entrapped in her mind.

_No. I am not one of them. Maybe Rainbow Dash is, but not I. There is nothing wrong with such a lifestyle, but... why am I even thinking about something that shouldn't even matter? I know who I am_. The thoughts bounced around her head, uncertain and lacking their usual bravado.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Rainbow Dash staring at her, head cocked to the side and eyebrow raised. _Still looking the fool, I presume_, Rarity muttered inwardly.

She needed something to distract herself from these thoughts. She chose prodding.

"So, Rainbow Dash," she said. "How did you know of this stream here? Certainly you weren't able to hear it from up there; I can barely hear it and I'm standing next to the thing."

"I've been here enough to know."

"Here?"

"Yeaaah..." Rainbow's expression sank further and further into perplexity.

"But you told me you never flew in this area."

"No," Rainbow said, looking around as if she expected somepony to pop out of the bushes. "I said that I_rarely_ fly around here." She paused and shrugged. "This old farm's in the middle of nowhere, so I kinda remember it."

"And why here, if I may ask? Two days journey by hoof... doesn't seem like the best option."

Rainbow sighed. "I'm not going to talk about that."

"And w—"

"I'm not."

Rarity didn't retort or press on. She hadn't been trying to carry on a conversation or get answers anyway. Nay, she was simply trying to pass the minutes—erase the thoughts—and so far she was doing a good job. Both of them had already finished their meals and cleaned themselves up, and not once had their conversation even drifted to their predicament. Rarity liked it like that: the less words spoken, the better.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rarity noticed Dash's ears perk up. For a second, she worried that she had spoken her thoughts aloud, but quickly dismissed that idea when Rainbow began to sniff the air.

"Storm's coming," Rainbow said, a hint of... something in her voice. Fright? No, Rainbow Dash didn't get frightened. Before Rarity could respond, Dash was on all fours and hurrying towards the hill. "Moving fast. Strong one, too. Move!"

"But it's completely clear out—"

A boom of thunder shook the ground around Rarity, silencing her protests. She looked up and noted that the world around her suddenly looked like the inside of a closet at midnight. If she didn't know any better, she would have assumed that it was suddenly night. Then the world was illuminated by a lightning bolt streaking across the sky—Rarity could feel its searing heat. Without a word or moment's pause, Rarity chased Rainbow Dash up the hill.

Before they reached the top of the hill, the world was bathed in a torrential downpour and strong winds. Rarity felt like she was about to be blown off her hooves—and indeed she was a half-dozen times. She slipped on the ground, and found herself face-down in murky mud puddles more times than she would in even her darkest nightmares. She cursed and cried, pushed forward and fell back. Her mane and coat—her very foundation—were all ruined, and the storm wasn't yet a minute old.

Another gust of wind racked her body, and she fell to her knees. She could feel the mud seeping into her already caked coat. And to think that today had started out so well. Okay, so it hadn't started out perfect, but at least she had been dry and safe!

She was about to lay down and give in to mother nature when she felt something pushing against her side. Through the thick veil of rain, she could see a silhouette of a pony pushing against her. Rarity knew who it was, and it didn't surprise her in the slightest.

In an instant, she was scooped up and carried through the gale. She closed her eyes and lay her head on Rainbow's back. It would be a lie to say that there wasn't something comforting about it—especially at the moment. Her wet coat tickling Rarity's nose, firm muscles tensed against the gusts as she trudged forward. Rarity didn't even attempt to brush away the thoughts this time. She was far too tired and wet to care.

Rarity was not sure how they made it to the farmhouse, nor how long it took them to trek through the tempest. All she knew—all she cared about—was that the wind and rain suddenly ceased. The stormy wailing disappeared with the slamming of the front door, replaced by the sounds of hooves heavily landing on a wooden floor, dripping water, and heavy breaths. Rarity breathed a sigh of relief as she felt her body lower to the ground.

The floorboards were cold and damp, but then again that might have just been her own dank body. She began to shiver, but the shakes were quickly halted by a warm blanket draping over her back. Rarity let out a happy sigh, and leaned against something soft. A pillow, perhaps? She was surprised that an abandoned farmhouse would have such a thing. Then again, she didn't expect that it would have blankets. It didn't matter; it was comfortable.

Rarity took a deep breath and let her mind slip free of the bonds of rain-soaked reality. She had had one crazy day. She deserved a nap.


	4. Chapter 4

The distant roll of thunder echoed around the house like a toy bass drum in an empty atrium. It was then that Rarity knew that she was awake. Now that she thought about it, had she even fallen asleep? She couldn't remember any dreams, though there was distant vision of... something lingering in her mind—an image barely touched by the shimmer of a dying light.

She lifted her head and slowly opened her eyes, bracing herself for the waves of sunlight. She knew that it was waiting for her, ravenous and eager to blind her with its beautifully wretched rays.

Luckily for her, it was still dark as far as she could tell. Her world was painted a bluish black, the only variations being brief glimpses of stars through the windows, and a much darker, moving shadow stretched out beside her. Against her.

At first she felt the desire to scream. After all, opening your eyes to a mysterious shadow laying beside you is near the bottom of the list of desirable wake up calls. Damp, cold fear seized her nerves and squeezed tight, and she swore that, had such a nice blanket not been covering her, she would have shaken enough to erode the house's very foundations.

For a brief moment, her fashionista instincts took over. _I wonder what material this is made of_, she thought. _It's so comfortable—if it has a nice color, I could become an Equestia-famous designer. No... no, a world-famous designer_. She smiled the pithiest of smiles before the shadow crept into her mind once more. Eventually she would have to face it, that much she knew. It didn't make the prospect any easier to take. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, prepared to concoct a master plan.

And that was when she tasted it: the faint flavor of sky.

All at once the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

With the slightest hint of a whimper, she eased her magic up into her horn. Soon, the glow was enough to see her own hooves, and then she could make out individual strands in her coat. They looked unclean, and she had to hold back the wail building in her throat. And then it was bright enough to see the dust, spread out upon the floorboards like ash in a wasteland.

She knew that it was now bright enough to see beside her. Yet her head remained locked in place: chin on the ground while she ground her teeth down to nubs.

And then the memories rushed back, and her gaze began to drift without her permission. The pops and clicks of her neck permeated through the air, only overshadowed by the gentle snoring coming from her left.

A blue aura shone across Rainbow Dash's sleeping face. She bore an expression of absolute tranquility—something Rarity wasn't used to. There were no tensed muscles on her face to speak of, none of the competitive spark that seemed to flow through Dash like blood.

The sudden influx of light changed that, as Rainbow clenched her eyes and snorted loudly. Rarity lowered the spotlight flooding from her horn to a mere glimmer, but Rainbow had already buried her face in her forelegs and begun to mutter and squirm.

As Dash wriggled, Rarity felt the blanket on her back shift as well. She frowned, shivering as the night air reached her still damp coat. _Oh, come now, Rainbow Dash_, she silently groused. _I may have woken you up—and I apologize for that—but that is no reason to hog the covers_! With the most ladylike grunt she could muster, she turned her head and prepared to grasp the blanket in her magic (_You may be an athlete, darling, but might is no match for the mind_). She stopped her telekinetic spell before it could wrap itself around the first strand.

There was no blanket draped over either one of their bodies—that much she was sure. Rarity even rose the level of her illumination spell to the point where both of their bodies looked like they were under a blue sun. Still no blanket—or pillows, for that matter. Rarity could have sworn there had been pillows. Rarity sighed and began to lower her magic once more. Sleep would most definitely clear her mind.

It was as the darkness was taking over the light when it happened.

Rarity felt the warmness overtake her body once more, alongside a faint sensation comparable to a tug. Her horn still had a spark to it, and she shot around, expecting to see Rainbow Dash putting a blanket over her, grinning sheepishly and saying something about it being "just a little joke" in between giggle fits. The worst case scenario was that it was some form of disease-ridden varmint. What she saw was neither of these things.

Rainbow Dash had her wing draped over Rarity, tips curled so that Rarity's body was pushing against her slightly. It was something Rarity had never expected. Not in a million years—though, now that she thought about it, it was rather obvious that the blanket was a wing (it was much too comfortable and feathery to be anything but). The revelation hit her like a buggy crash: she couldn't move, couldn't think properly, could only stare slack jawed. _This is Rainbow Dash, right_? she asked herself. For a second, the idea of her friend being some kind of changeling, and this being the moment in which all was revealed and she was gobbled up and replaced by a Changeling Rarity, ran through her mind. However, life was not a creature feature, and Rarity quickly brushed the prospect away. No, she was simply seeing a new side of her dear friend.

A softer side.

A beautiful side.

Rarity shook her head. No. She was not going to think of it like that. Rainbow Dash had always had this soft side to her—Rarity had heard Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and even Applejack speak of it, usually in a joking manner, at parties and other get-togethers. Rarity had just never witnessed it firsthoof. And now she was, and she had to admit that it was just as 'sweet' as Pinkie had said it was. Rarity couldn't help but smile as she envisioned what would happen if Rainbow Dash awoke.

Rainbow would stammer and come up with excuses, voice cracking adorably as it always did when she got worked up. Her face might even grow red. It would be then that Rarity would calm her, holding her close and hugging tight. Then, they'd make eye contact, and Rainbow would lean forward and—

Rarity slapped herself. She would _not_ think of her friend in that way. She would not think of how cute she looked when she slept. She would not think about how her smell brought forth images of freedom and life. She would not think about how sweet it was that Dash had saved her from embarrassment by not even mentioning the kiss out loud—even though Rarity could read it in her eyes. She would not think about how graceful she was in the sky. And she most certainly would not think about how this mare had risked everything to save her life. She would not...

She buried her face in her hooves. _Curse you, mind_, she seethed. _You are a simpleton and a fiend_.

Before Rarity could assault herself any more, Rainbow stirred.

As was usually the case—at least as far as Rarity knew—Dash woke up as if it were a Monday. She muttered, snorted, opened her eyes, closed them, opened them again, lifted her head slightly, looked around, and then let her head fall to the floor with a resounding thunk. After a bit of muttering and chin rubbing, she buried her face in her forelegs.

For a long while the room was silent. Rainbow Dash and Rarity both breathed softly, but Rainbow never reverted back to snoring, so it was quite clear to Rarity that she was awake. Though still a little sore, Rarity did not feel tired in the slightest, and she decided to strike up a conversation. _If I can't sleep, nopony can_, she thought with a half-joking smile.

"Rainbow Dash?" she said. "Rainbow, are you awake?"

"_Unnf_?"

"Are you awake?"

"_Eh unf eghhh..._"

"Could you repeat that?"

Rainbow lifted her head, but just barely. "I said, 'I am now.' Jeez, what're ya, deaf?" Rarity didn't respond and Rainbow rambled on, voice cracking under weariness as she said, "No, Rarity, I'm one-hundred-percent asleep. That's why I was talking to ya five freakin' seconds ago. I always respond to questions when I'm fast asleep, don't you? It's totally in fashion nowadays!"

Normally, Rarity would be nettled by Rainbow's crass words and attitude (_How dare she accuse me of being out of fashion_!), but at the moment she felt that she should cut Rainbow Dash some slack. It wasn't Rainbow Dash who randomly kissed her friend, nearly crippled and/or killed said friend, and then made that friend uncomfortable beyond all belief by forcing them to spend hours alone with her.

Still, stepping in would probably be beneficial.

"Calm down," Rarity said as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. She wondered what time it was: late night or early morning.

"Whatever," Rainbow muttered. And then all was quiet once more.

"So," Rarity said after the silence became too overbearing, "that was some storm yesterday."

"Yeah, it was." Rainbow sighed. "I can't believe I didn't even notice it. I mean..." Her voice drifted off and she kicked the floor with one of her hind legs.

"Come now, I had no idea it was coming either," Rarity said, debating whether putting a forehoof on Dash's shoulder would slacken the pegasus' frustrations, or simply make matters worse. She settled on the latter, and placed her hoof back on the floor before continuing, "I heard no thunder, nor did I see any rain clouds."

Rainbow gave another sigh. "Well, you're not a weather pony, either. I've been trained to be able to smell a storm from, like, a hundred miles away." A groan filled the room. "This is what I get for being distracted," she grumbled, just barely loud enough for Rarity to hear.

"And what, may I ask, were you distracted by, hm?" Once a gossip, always a gossip.

"A lot."

Rarity should have let it stop there, but she didn't.

"Do be more specific, Rainbow."

"No."

Rarity snorted and crossed her forelegs. _I thought Rainbow Dash liked to have fun; what's more fun than a bit of chit-chat between friends_? _Well, maybe the spa—and making dresses is quite a joyful time as well—but still..._

Thunder sounded off in the distance. That was the only voice in the world for the longest while. Well, the only voice speaking aloud.

Rarity did what she always did when she pouted: she thought. She thought about a lot of things, but her mind kept drifting back to earlier. The kiss. Amidst all the dreading and denial and confusion, she had forgotten one very important thing: apologies. Now was the time to rectify that.

"Hey, Dash," Rarity said, her voice sounding like a hundred snakes had wrapped themselves around her throat.

"Yeah?" came the whispered reply

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"You know what." Despite her attempts, Rarity's voice quavered.

Rainbow said nothing. Rarity felt the wing draped over her back tighten, and she felt a lump make its way up her throat.

"I'm so sorry," she choked out, and the wing grew even tauter. "I'm such a fool."

"You're not a fool. Jeez, Rares, lighten up. There's nothing to apologize over."

"Yes, there is." Rarity sniffled. "I hurt you, Rainbow Dash."

"Oh c'mon. Is that it?" Rainbow said with a chuckle. "It's just a scratch. No biggie."

"But it could have been a 'biggie!' You could have broken your wing. You could have gotten hurt so bad that you would never be able to fly again. We... we could have died, Rainbow Dash. All because of me. Stupid, _stupid_ me."

"None of that did happen, though." Rainbow's wing flapped lightly, patting Rarity's side. "It's cool."

"But—"

"No more of these dang 'buts,' Rarity." Even in the dark, Rarity could see Rainbow look out the window. "Look, it's still, like, one in the morning, and I'm beat. Let's just try to get some more shut-eye. If you wanna continue with your apologies, let 'em wait 'til morning, okay?" Rainbow added a little laugh at the end.

As if triggered by the words, Rarity let out a big yawn. "Now that you mention it... sleep does sound like a splendid idea."

"What can I say?" Rainbow chuckled. "I'm full of 'em!"

Rarity smirked. "You're full of much more than that."

"Excuse me?" Rainbow said, voice cracking under the weight of her annoyance.

"Nothing, Rainbow, nothing."

Dash gave something that was a mix between a snort and a giggle. "Whatever you say." She paused to yawn, then continued, "'Night, Rares."

"Goodnight, Dash."

As it had many times in such a seemingly short period, silence overtook the room, filling it like an overflowing lake. However, this time it was far less tense. Why, it was downright peaceful.

Its reign was short-lived, for Rainbow's snores started up no more than a minute after she had lain her head back down. Rarity couldn't help but smile. In spite of the circumstances, she could think of no other word to describe them than "cute."

Rarity lay with her chin on her hooves for a few minutes, simply staring at the stars out the window and listening to Rainbow snore. With each blink, her eyelids grew heavier. She looked over at Rainbow Dash and made her horn glow once more. Dash didn't even flinch. Rarity smiled a little, glad to see that Rainbow was sleeping soundly once more.

And then, once she was absolutely, one-hundred-and-one-percent sure that she was the only pony awake, Rarity wriggled in close to Rainbow Dash—resting her back and the back of her head against Rainbow's chest—and fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Rarity was in heaven.

She was laying upon a most comfortable mattress in a most exquisite four-poster bed. The insignia stitched into her violet sheets and pillowcases in the most dazzling grey thread she had ever seen told the tale: she was in a suite in Princess Celestia's palace.

A high-pitched squeal filled the air. It took her a few seconds to realize it was her own.

She couldn't help but ponder if she had been here before. Maybe it was the same suite she had stayed in so many times before, or maybe it was a different lavishly decorated room altogether. She couldn't be too sure; she had never actually been in any of the other suites. All she could be sure of was that the drapes, the bedding, the bits, and the smile that tugged at her lips were all genuine.

The air around her felt like perfection. It smelled fresh, like a botanical garden in the middle of spring. It felt soft—not too cool and not too warm. Everything about it screamed "perfect." If only she could remember why it felt that way.

A knock sounded at the door, echoing around the room as if it were a massive cave. Rarity turned towards the towering door, her grin only growing brighter. "Coming," she said in a pitch perfect, singsong voice.

As she hopped off the bed and onto the soft carpeting, Rarity caught sight of herself in the silver-rimmed mirror—nearly two ponies tall—on the other side of the room. What she saw staring back at her left her breathless. Two jaws dropped as she trotted closer, and she lifted a hoof to the glass, as though touching the material would make it any more real.

She wore the most dazzling dress she had ever seen. The fact that she had been laying in bed with such beautiful fabric still on her body made her want to tear her mane out. How dare she disrespect such a beautiful dress! _These are not pajamas_, she scolded inwardly. _This fabric can wrinkle and tear, and you are an absolute heathen for putting such a beautiful dress in such needless peril._ She turned before the mirror, head on a swivel as she checked the dress for any rips or tears. A high-pitched sigh escaped her list as she found not a single flaw.

Another knock sounded—heavier.

"I'll be right there," Rarity piped, forcing her gaze away from the stunning material and towards the grand door.

The gold handle turned blue as Rarity's magic enswathed it. She pulled back on the handle just hard enough for her to not come off as a socially awkward pony, too frightened to open a door, yet not too quick; she did not want to be deemed an impatient delinquent. Such was the life of a Canterlonian: propriety reigned over something as simple as opening doors.

She knew that she was expected to greet the pony at the door with the utmost glee and finesse, and she was not one to let anypony down. So, she stood up tall and grinned wide enough for her skin to feel like it was tearing.

"So sorry to keep you waiting," she said with an aristocratic chuckle. "I was..." She opened her eyes and any and all grace fled from her mind like animals from a forest fire. "Wha? Huh?!"

The pony standing before her was not a stranger—that was not the worst part. The pony lifted their head and their face, which until then had been hidden by the rim of a white fedora, came into view. At that moment, Rarity realized that this pony was a mare—that was still not the worst part. Rose eyes stared into hers, half-lidded and gleaming with fervor. It was as she observed the mare closely—her sly grin, her chest puffed out in a boastful pose, her hind legs sticking out from behind a tuxedo jacket, and what little bit of her prismatic mane that wasn't covered by her hat blowing in the wind—that her mind was able to put the alarming pieces together.

Like a prince coming to rescue a damsel, Rainbow Dash stood before her—that was the worst part.

Rarity opened her mouth to speak—to compose the most vivid display of confusion (profane words a lady should never utter, included) that Equestria had ever heard. The raving that might have gone down in history never made it past her diaphragm; Rainbow took flight, scooping Rarity up in her forelegs. Rarity stole a glance at the mirror through her peripheral vision. It all looked like the cover of a romance novel... a cheap, bad romance novel in dust-covered paperback that one finds in a dumpster behind a convenience store. Now that she thought about it, the whole thing had taken a turn towards smut territory.

Again she opened her mouth to speak, and again she was cut off as Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, tilted her head at a slight angle, and began to lean forward. Rarity's eyes grew. "Rainbow Dash?" she managed. "What are you doing?" Rainbow was close now, drawing closer; Rarity could feel her warm breath on her face—could smell raspberries. Why did her breath smell like raspberries? And why was she leaning in so close?

No. Rarity's eyes grew as wide as the sun. _Oh blessed Celestia, please, no._

Her pleas went unanswered, and Rainbow leaned closer. Closer. She could almost feel Rainbow's lips.

And then Rainbow started to nudge her neck.

"Wha?" Rarity's eyes remained wide—arched. "Rainbow Dash... what... what are you doing?

"Get up," she said.

"What the—"

"Get up."

"Rainbow Dash, forgive me for being so uncouth, but what the hay is your problem?!"

Rainbow nudged her even harder—jabbing now—and her voice grew harsher. "Get up, Rarity!" she seethed. "Geez!"

And Rarity did just that.

* * *

The brightness of the room told Rarity that it was close to noon. Or maybe it was far earlier; she had never been one to pay attention to how much light was in a room at a given hour.

She groaned, stretched out, then nestled her face in her forelegs. No sooner had she started to get comfortable, than the heavy nudging returned.

"No," said the voice, "we are not going through this again. C'mon, Rares, up and at 'em."

"I'm up," Rarity muttered. "No need to break my ribs." She lifted her head slightly, but wound up resting her chin on her forelegs, blinking rapidly. Again, something nudged against her side—a hoof this time—and she turned and looked up at Rainbow through squinted eyes.

Dash's eyes were narrowed, her mouth contorted. "Come on. We're wasting daylight here." She paused, then continued, "You wanna get home, don't ya?"

Rarity sighed. "Of course I do, Rainbow." Words could not describe how silly that question seemed; what kind of pony would prefer staying in the middle of nowhere instead of their own home? Still, she refrained from sarcasm or jabs. "Just give me some time to wake up, won't you?"

"Fine," Rainbow said with a roll of her eyes and a snort before walking off. As Rarity tried to wake herself up, she watched Rainbow's movements. Rainbow trudged over to a window, hoofsteps echoing around the empty house. Her breaths fogged up the already dusty windowpane. Rarity could see hundreds upon thousands of water droplets dotting the glass. She looked at the floor, then the ceiling, then Rainbow's coat and mane, then her own: they were all equally soggy.

A day or two ago, this revelation would have sent her into hysterics. Not anymore, though; she had grown used to the unkemptness. She might loathe it, but there was little she could do at the moment besides tolerate it. Still, the thought of what her mane looked like right now sent a chill down her spine. _Thank Celestia there are no mirrors in here_. With that thought, she shifted her attention back to Rainbow Dash. She had moved away from the window and was now standing in the middle of the room, near an old table, stretching.

"Man, remind me to never sleep on a floor again." Rainbow cocked her head and a multitude of pops and clicks followed. "I've been up for, like, an hour and I still feel stiff as a block of cement."

Rarity nodded, but her mind quickly drifted elsewhere. She had begun to think about the dream—questioning meanings and whatnot—but her mind was quickly seized once more by the sight of the pegasus.

Rainbow was leaning down on the forelegs in front of her, back arched, good wing fluttering slightly, and her hind legs taut and straight.

And what legs they were.

Rarity found her mind shutting off as she watched Rainbow go through what she could only assume were daily routines. She flexed her good wing—unfurling it, flapping it once, furling it, then repeating the steps. She tried to do the same with her bad wing, but she couldn't make it through a single cycle. Then, her forelegs went stiff, and she stretched her hind legs out behind her. Before now, Rarity had never noticed just how toned they were, and she was finding it impossible to turn her eyes away. Rarity felt her face heat up—and she hated it.

She didn't want to feel this way... or did she? She couldn't be too sure anymore; too many things were saying that something deep within her wanted this. Regardless, it meant nothing. It couldn't. Just because she thought Rainbow had nice legs didn't mean that she had any romantic feelings for her. She had complimented all of her friends' bodies before, and none of those times had it meant anything romantic. Finding aesthetic appeal in somepony didn't always have to mean something more; she had worked with more than enough models and designers to figure that out.

Of course, no matter how sensually any of her other friends sauntered, they had never made Rarity blush—nay, it only made her roll her eyes. And yet, Rainbow Dash was different... without even trying.

Why?

Why was Rainbow Dash doing this to her?

Did she...

_I... I have a crush on Rainbow, don't I_?

No matter how much she wanted to deny it, the truth was slapping her in the face—had been since the moment she had "accidentally" kissed Rainbow Dash. And how long had it been there before then, building up pressure and waiting to explode? The royal wedding? The Best Young Flyer competition? Before that? She felt an ache grow in her stomach and head. She had a crush on Rainbow Dash. Another mare. A longtime friend. Had these feelings always been there? If they had, she had done a good job of hiding them from herself.

She wasn't even aware that Rainbow was speaking to her until the pegasus was shouting.

"Rarity! Yo, Rarity!"

Rarity shook her head, and her eyes went wide as soon as she noticed where her gaze was: still locked on Rainbow's legs. She gulped and looked up at Rainbow, giving her the best grin she could muster. "Heh heh, apologies, Rainbow Dash. I was simply thinking abo—"

"Catch!"

Before Rarity even knew what was going on, an apple was soaring her way. It moved in slow motion—like impending doom—and it felt like she had all the time in the world to think and fret. Should she catch it with her head? That would probably hurt the least and do the least amount of damage, but at the same time, did she want to risk ruining her mane more than it already was? She moved on to letting it hit the floor, but she quickly wiped that away. Rain water, dust, possibly mold, it was nothing to eat off of. Then she thought about using her teeth to catch it, but that seemed like the most daring—and in turn, stupid—one yet. A fashionista without teeth would be like a Wonderbolt without wings. Suddenly, it hit her that she could use a simple telekinesis spell, but it was too late. The apple was centimeters from her mouth, and she opened her mouth without thinking.

She expected to hear a shatter and feel the worst of all pains.

Instead, she felt the apple land and wedge itself between her incisors. She spit the apple out into one hoof, and felt around her mouth with the other (along with her tongue). There were no chips—no pain—and her mouth was filled with the flavor of apple rather than the metalic taste of blood.

For a second, she smiled, proud of herself for not ruining her smile. Then, the smile flipped and she glared daggers at Dash. Rainbow just giggled.

"Nice catch, Rares," she said, leaning back against the table. "Hehe, you shoulda seen the look on your face."

"Oh, I think I have a good idea what it looked like," Rarity sneered, grasping the apple in her magic and rising to her hooves. She stretched out her sleeping limbs before making her way over to the table.

"Seriously though, nice catch. Even AJ totally whiffed that the first time I tried it—bounced right off her nose and into the river." Rainbow laughed and shuddered at the same time as she turned to sit down. "Woo, let me tell you... she was _pissed_! Face all like this." Dash scrunched her face so that everything was pointing at a downward angle. "Blood coming out her nose. Hehe. I apologized of course—gave her my apple and had to do chores around the farm for a week while her nose healed. Worth it, though." Rainbow sighed and took a deep breath. "Anyways, great catch." She extended her foreleg towards Rarity.

Rarity looked at it like a foal looks at a quantum physics textbook.

Rainbow giggled, then sighed, shaking her foreleg. After Rarity continued to stare at it blankly, Rainbow rolled her eyes and said, "Pound it."

"Oh, of course." Rarity let out a quiet staccato of giggles as she bumped her hoof against Rainbow's. Rainbow didn't look satisfied, but she seemed let it pass, lowering her leg and going to town on her apple. Rarity stared at hers for a few moments, mind a frozen pool of stagnant waters, before taking a dainty bite.

"So, uh..." Rainbow began. "Sleep well?"

"I wouldn't say 'well,' but it was far from the worst I've had." She considered saying something about how having such a 'lovely blanket' made her sleep better, but she brushed it off. As true as it was—as much as she secretly longed to feel Rainbow's wing draped over her again—she knew that saying so would only come off as 'flirty.' Which it was. Shaking her head, she switched topics. "Where did you get these apples from, anyway? Is your wing better?"

"Nah, still a bit sore for flying." Rainbow's expression suddenly tensed. "Don't you go on another apologizing tear, Rares. It's just sore—you didn't do any damage or nothing."

"Oh, I wasn't about to," Rarity said. Now that Rainbow mentioned it, the guilt started to rush in once more, but it simply flowed through—not building up.

"Anywho, I found these outside," Dash continued. "Storm blew a lot of the apples out of the tree." She smirked. "Don't worry, I washed 'em off."

Rarity gave a half-hearted chortle. "Thank you for that, Rainbow. Really, it m-mea... me..." She coughed and squeezed her eyes shut. Tongue-tied. She'd had crushes before, and she knew that they were much like a disease. First, the symptoms would march in subtly, then she would figure out that she was crushing, and then once she was certain that she was in fact 'crushing,' the problems would increase tenfold. She was already experiencing the basics: a tied-up tongue, muddled diction and general awkwardness.

"So, I think if we get started here soon," Rainbow said, breaking the weighty silence, "we'll be able to reach Ponyville by nightfall."

"Really? I... Rainbow, we don't seem to be anywhere near... I don't even recognize this place."

"Trust me, I've flown this way quite a bit—know it like the back of my hoof." She grinned. "Know all the shortcuts, too."

Rarity cocked her head. "Oh really?" She laughed. "Don't tell me you have been meandering around just so you can spend more time with moi."

"Hehe, I'd rather have my wings cut off."

Rarity slumped back in her chair. It felt like every organ in her torso had been dropped off a cliff at once. Rainbow seemed to notice this, for she leaned forward and patted Rarity's shoulder. "Hey now, it was just a joke, Rares. I've..." She chuckled. "All things considered, this has been better than it could have been." She smiled.

Rarity smiled back. "Well... it's definitely been eventful."

Rainbow laughed. "You can say that again." She leaned back in her chair, sighing and looking at the apple core. Rarity looked down at her own apple, with one or two tiny bite marks, and sighed. Time waited for no pony, and she had a whole town waiting for her and Rainbow to return. Then, she did something she had never dreamed of doing in her most vile nightmares.

She finished the apple in two bites, taking a big chunk out of each half and swallowing before chewing properly. Rainbow stared at her, wide-eyed and with the silliest grin on her face.

"Wow..." She whistled and tapped a hoof on the table. "That, Rares, was the raddest thing I think I've ever seen you do."

_Raddest_.

A day ago, being called that would have made her roll her eyes—maybe even scoff and aim a witty insult back in Rainbow's direction. Not now, though. Now it only made her smile. She could feel heat coursing across her face, and she didn't care.

Adrenaline pumping through her veins, Rarity stood up first. "Come on, Rainbow. Ponyville is waiting—Sweetie Belle is waiting. I will not have them wait any longer than they have to."

Rainbow stared at her blankly for a moment, then stood up herself—a toothy smile plastered on her face. "That's the spirit, Rares. Heh, I never thought you had it in you, but... wicked cool." For a second, Rarity thought she saw Rainbow's cheeks turn the faintest shade of pink. "Let's move out!" She paused to giggle, then continued, "I'll lead the way."

Rainbow didn't have to ask twice. Rarity fell in behind Dash as they marched out the door. The hard wood was replaced by soft grass, much to Rarity's relief—her hooves had not been made to resist splinters. The world outside was damp, but covered in a sheet of red and orange. It was like a picturebook sunrise, and Rarity couldn't help but smile.

As they moved forward, Rarity stole a glance at Rainbow. First her mane, then her wings, then her legs. Her stomach felt like a hurricane and her face felt like the sun. It was going to be a long walk home.


	6. Chapter 6

Many words rushed through Rarity's mind; all of them crass. She despised the sun for bathing her in a most sweltering heat. She abhorred the wind for incessantly blowing her mane against her face—the strands like little whips—and she detested how repugnant she smelled after what felt like eternity without being washed. She loathed the walk—how the landscape seemed to have it in for her and how each step seemed to only push her farther away. But above all else, the thing that made her sick to her stomach—the one thing she wished she could just reach out and strangle—was herself.

She was a lady; a lady never gawks at her friends. Yet that was what she kept doing—whether she willed herself to or not—and she hated it.

They had been walking for at least half the day, maybe more. As the sun slowly rose to its apex, they walked. When it reached its highest point, they were still walking. And as it began to curve and descend, they trudged on.

Neither had spoken much, and when they had it had been for simple questions:

"Do you need to stop?"

"Can we rest here?"

"You alright?"

"Do you happen to have an extra apple with you?"

It was as though they were two robots—walking forward endlessly; never doing much of anything else. Rarity had taken time to observe certain aspects of her surroundings: the color of the flora, the shapes of the petals blowing in the wind, and the way the birds glided against the beautiful backdrop of a clear sky. She brainstormed combinations—would bird shapes look better in sequins or lace? On occasions, she'd blink to find herself staring at Rainbow; she'd blink again and be staring at the ground or a distant mountaintop. She would follow this up by muttering insults at herself. Luckily, Rainbow Dash never turned in time to see Rarity's reddening face—Celestia knows she'd embarrassed herself enough already.

Rainbow, meanwhile, seemed to be lost in heavy thought. She would look at the sky on occasions, just like Rarity would, but her eyes would be unfocused and her brow furrowed more than Rarity had thought possible. Rainbow would occasionally glance back at Rarity, though their eyes would only meet for a single, confusing second before Dash's gaze darted away. It was clear that something was troubling her, and Rarity was quite sure what it was—or rather, who.

Rarity understood where Dash was coming from; she would have been just as uneasy in the same position, if not more so. She wondered if Rainbow had noticed her... observing earlier. Rainbow had been looking at her when she'd snapped out of her reverie, so Rainbow knew that Rarity had been...

_No, Rarity, that is in the past. Let's just let it go already. So long as you don't bring it up, it never happened, right_?

Yes, she just had to forget about the whole situation; all she had to do was just keep walking and think only of home—warm bed, fabric from floor to wall, and a little sister most likely stuck in the adorable "apologetic" phase. Any step now, her hoof would fall upon a familiar dirt road, and everything would be back to normal. She giggled at the thought of dust being a welcome relief; it wasn't the first change, and it probably wouldn't be the last, but she hoped that it would be the only big one. How she wished that were the case.

She gave Rainbow the briefest of glances before turning her attention back to her surroundings. This lasted all of five seconds—it didn't take long for grass to become the drabbest of things. With a shrug, she moved her attention to the rhythm of her hooves on the ground—perfect three-fourth time, just like a waltz. This too was ruined by the arrhythmic clops of another pony, running around her steps and ruining her cadence. Against her wishes and better judgement, her mind drifted down back towards the pegasus trotting in front of her.

Denying it would only add salt to the wound: she had a crush on Rainbow Dash. The thought sent a chill running up her spine and a bead of sweat trickling down her brow; what made it worse was the fact that, in spite of how much it bothered her, it really didn't surprise her—especially after the last two days. Rainbow had always been sweet underneath the layers of bravado and brashness, and Rarity had to admit that she was beautiful—that mane and body were every fashion designer's dream. She caught her gaze moving back to Rainbow, eyeing how she swayed, the way her muscles rippled with each step, every curve and...

_You are acting like a child over a popstar_! She fervently shook her head. _Obsessing over her body instead of her charmingly impetuous and cocky personality... Drat... _With another shake of her head, she wiped the thought from her mind. What was going on with Rainbow should be the least of her problems; yet she couldn't keep it away.

The sky was starting to turn the faintest shade of red; dusk was approaching like a wolf.

"Um, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah?"

"I thought you said that we were two days from Ponyville."

"Yeah, and?"

"Well, it's almost been two days and I have yet to see even a hint of the Everfree or Ghastly Gorge—let alone Ponyville."

"Look," Rainbow said, slamming a hoof against the ground. Before Rarity realized that Rainbow had stopped, she was already turned around, her face inches aways from Rarity's. "I was guessing, okay. I've never had to walk this."

"No need to get in my face, Rainbow." Rarity lifted a hoof and pushed against Rainbow's chest. Rainbow didn't move. Rarity gave a wry smile and said, "Honestly, I questioned your math from the start. I mean, two hours turning into two days..." She let out a chortle. "Let me guess: you've never actually timed how long it takes you to get here, am I right?"

Rainbow muttered something under her breath and kicked at the dirt.

"I thought so." Rarity sighed. "Do you even know where we are?"

"Of course I do!" Rainbow turned around and stormed off with a huff.

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Rainbow, calm down, I didn't mean anything by it." Dash simply snorted and kept walking. Rarity sighed and, with a flash of her horn, grasped her tail in a magical aura. For a few seconds, Rainbow tried to walk against the spell, but it was to no avail. She then attempted to fling herself forward, but that failed as well. Finally, she surrendered and stood stock-still, a glower etched across her face.

"Are you done yet?" Rarity asked, walking up behind Rainbow until she was looking her in the eyes. She couldn't help but giggle at the look on Dash's face. She was trying so hard to be intimidating; it was adorable.

Rainbow grunted and glared at the ground, but eventually managed to nod.

"Good," Rarity responded, turning to look where they had been walking. She squinted; she swore she could see the tops of distant trees, but that could have just been an illusion. Still, it was enough to rekindle the fading hope in her chest. She looked at Rainbow, giving her a small smile. "Should I lead the way, or are you going to refrain from such dramatics?"

"Whatever..." Rainbow muttered.

"Fine, have an attitude," Rarity tried to say sternly, but she couldn't fight the smile tugging at her lips. Rainbow had a way of being nothing short of cute when she was angry. She paused, a brief wave of hot anger washing over her body, but she let it pass. Why bother fighting the fact that she had a crush on Rainbow? A crush was simply that: a crush. She'd had them on ponies many times in her past, and she knew that, eventually, this crush—like the others—would fade. Sure, it would make interacting with Rainbow Dash awkward, but interacting with Rainbow Dash had _always_ been awkward. She smiled again and nudged Rainbow's side. "Come on! Get up!" Rarity didn't even fight the laughter when she noticed the look of utter shock on Dash's face.

"What's so funny?" Rainbow asked, voice cracking.

"Nothing, darling," Rarity said, wiping her eyes with a foreleg. "Let's—heehee—let's just go. It'll be dark soon, and I'd prefer to not sleep in the middle of a plain." With that, Rarity turned and began to walk, a stunned Rainbow stumbling along in her wake.

* * *

The walk didn't last long. Rarity might have gotten hold of the reins, but that didn't mean that she had gained magical powers of endurance. She was sweating profusely and panting hard, as if she had just finished a marathon through the mountains, no more than half an hour into their march; it was then that they came across the pond.

Normally, Rarity would have, at the very most, strolled over to the shore, dipped a hoof in, and then, maybe, taken a small dip. However, Rarity felt like she was being cooked alive. Without a word of warning, she ran to the pond and dove in. She kept her eyes closed and tried her best to ignore how dirty the water most likely was. It was cool, and that was enough.

She broke the surface and took a deep breath. Wiping her mane out of her eyes, she was greeted by a spellbinding sight. The stars were out and she could see the moon peeking out from behind the distant mountains. She even thought that she could see planets—what did planets look like anyway? Twilight had tried explaining it to her once, maybe twice before, but she'd had no interest in it. Sure, the cosmos were pretty, but Twilight made them sound so technical and dull. If memory served Rarity correctly, she had spent that lecture brainstorming a hat for her spring ensemble. Now, however, they were breathtaking, and she leaned back in the water and began to float. And she would have stayed that way forever if it hadn't been for a grating voice ripping her from her reverie.

"The hay are you doing?!" Rainbow Dash stood on the bank, head cocked to the side.

Rarity sheepishly grinned before replying, "Come on in, Rainbow! This water does wonders in this heat."

"Uh-huh..." Rainbow said, dipping a hoof in the water. Slowly, she moved forwards until all her hooves were submerged. She stopped, staring at the water, her face contorting in thought. Then, she looked up, directly at Rarity, and shot her a downright impish smile before jumping forward and swimming out towards her.

The pond wasn't deep or big, but it was still a decent enough place to swim or simply relax. Rarity back stroked over to a bank, and rested against it, letting the water soak into her coat and wash away all that barbaric grime. She dipped her head back underwater and pulled it back out once more. Her mane fell into her face; she took a deep breath and cried out. It was actually _clean_ again. Maybe not as much as she would've liked it, but beggars can't be choosers in the middle of nowhere. She smiled and leaned back again, bathing in the moment. If she thought hard about it—and used enough imagination—it was almost like a spa. The wind had picked up just enough that a light breeze was blowing through her mane, and the crickets were beginning to chirp out their calming songs. She felt as though she could fall asleep right then and there; she would have if it hadn't been for a sudden splash of water drenching her face.

"Rainbow Dash, what was that for?" she seethed. All Rainbow did was chuckle as she swam up beside her, leaning against the bank herself.

"Nothing. Just swimming. Just like you were."

"Yes, but must you be so... _splashy_ while doing so?"

"No," Rainbow said, kicking one of her hind legs, splashing the water once more, "but it's a lot less boring this way."

"What you call 'boring,' I call 'peaceful,'" Rarity said, tapping the grass with her hoof. In a way, it was just like the hot tub at the sauna, only dirtier, colder, and occupied by a pegasus that couldn't stay still for more than a second. She shook her head and continued, "Honestly, Rainbow Dash, do you ever stop?"

"Stop?" Rainbow smirked. "What'cha mean 'stop?'"

Rarity sighed. "Forget it. It's of no importance."

"Sure..." There was a flash of something in Rainbow's eyes. Rarity tilted her head. _Now, what on earth was that look for_?

Rainbow began to kick at the water again, slower this time. "So, how're ya doing, Rares?" she asked. "You seemed a bit freaked out last night."

"I told you this morning," Rarity said, flinching as another splash of water hit her face. "I was just... worried."

"Heh, I remember this morning. Heh, I remember it real well, actually. You didn't say a single word about all that, though you were acting a bit strange." Rainbow leaned back, the water coming up to her chin as she wrapped her forelegs behind her head to form a makeshift pillow. "What was up with all that?"

Rarity swallowed and chuckled. "I... have no idea what you're speaking of, Rainbow."

"I think you do." Rainbow kicked at the water once more; this time she held her leg out above the water.

"No, Rainbow, I don't."

"Yeah, you do." Then, like some kind of temptress, Rainbow began to rotate her hoof, the well-toned muscles in her leg flexing in a most enticing way.

Rarity looked away. She could feel her face heating up—how she hoped Rainbow didn't notice that she was blushing. "Stop that," she said.

Rainbow gave a grin that Rarity could only call 'sinister,' and kicked at the air. "Stop what?"

"Stop! Please!" The heat was coursing through Rarity's body now; her skull felt like it was about to burst.

"What?" Rainbow moved her forelegs from behind her head. "We've been walking all day, Rares; I'm sore." Her small, devilish smile said otherwise. She reached out and began to massage her leg.

Rarity swore she felt her head cracking like an egg. "_Stop_!" she yelled, slamming her forelegs into the water, showering Dash in a wave of water. Rainbow gasped for air and parted her now-matted mane from her eyes, which were now set on Rarity, a mischievous glint in them.

"I knew it," she whispered, chuckling to herself as she propped one foreleg onto the bank. "I thought I saw you checkin' me out this morning, but... now this just confirms it." Rainbow guffawed. "You totally have the hots for me."

"I..." Rarity let the words drift off. There was no use use denying it; she knew and Rainbow knew. To even fight it would be a waste of time and effort. She looked up and saw Dash staring at her, smirking and eyes half-lidded. She sighed and decided that now was as good a time as ever to deal the final blow.

"Yes," she said with as much grace as she could muster. "Yes, Rainbow Dash that is true. I have indeed grown infatuated with you."

Rainbow cocked her head and frowned. "Infatua—what, now?" She didn't get an answer; Rarity was already out of the water and trudging towards a nearby boulder.

_Well, you've done it, Rarity. You've put a stake right through your heart. Congratulations_. Her eyes burned and she sniffled, but kept her chin held high; sobbing wouldn't drown out what had already come and her tears weren't going to wash away the truth. No, a lady was always dignified, even when admitting she was little more than a heathen.

She lay down next to the boulder and curled into a ball. The wind was picking up and the air had grown frigid. For a moment, she longed for a wing to keep her warm, but that was not what she needed right now. What she needed was escape, and the only way to go was within. Against her wishes, the tears came; she let them flow. As she began to drift off, she heard the sound of hooves approaching her. She cracked her eyes open and saw a familiar shade of cyan inches from her. She opened her eyes a bit more and tilted her head up. Rainbow stared at her, all mischief gone from her eyes. Now she only looked like she wanted to apologize.

Rarity didn't want to hear her voice right now—didn't even want to remember that existed. With a grunt, she turned her head away and fell into an uneasy sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Rarity shivered as consciousness crept back into her. The cool dampness of the early morning air seemed to have wrapped itself around her. She let her eyes crack open and take in the appallingly gray dawn. A fog had settled over the valley, and Rarity swore it looked just like a scene out of a zombie movie. Not that a lady such as her would dare watch something as barbaric as a zombie movie. Well, not _frequently_ at least—she was allowed an escape from time to time, was she not?

Groaning, she attempted to roll onto her stomach, but her deceitful body decided that now was as good a time as ever to betray her, and she simply did a barrel roll. A sound came from somewhere behind her, but she couldn't tell what—it almost sounded to her like a laugh. Rarity muttered profanities, begging for forgiveness for her uncouthness seconds after they'd been uttered, and was eventually able to get her legs beneath her. Standing was a struggle, and when she tried to take a step forward, she resembled a newborn deer learning to walk. The sound came again, louder this time. Rarity knew exactly what—or rather, _who—_it was, and she made sure she had her face set in her best 'disapproving glare' before she whirled around.

The sight of Rainbow Dash was not a shocking one; as much as she didn't want it to be the case, she was stuck with that cocky ruffian. Part of her wished that Rainbow would go on without her; leave her to wallow in her misery in peace. Still, Rarity knew that that part of her was stupid: Rainbow wouldn't just leave her, and she didn't want to be alone.

Rainbow Dash was sitting near the shore of the pond, facing away from her. However, Rarity could see her stealing an occasional glance over her shoulder. As she approached, she couldn't help but notice that Dash seemed a bit... deflated. Her ears were pressed flat against her head, her mane was even more disheveled than usual, her wings hung loose at her sides, and her head and shoulders sagged as if an entire planet rested upon them.

"Morning," Rainbow said, her voice quieter than Rarity had ever heard.

"Good morning to you as well," Rarity said as she sat down beside Dash. She waited for a response, but the only sounds she got were cricket chirps and wakes in the pond. "How's your wing?" she added. "I see you can unfurl it now."

Rainbow looked to her left, flapped the wing a few times, and grimaced. "Yeah," she replied. "Still pretty stiff, though."

Rarity nodded and looked at the sky around them. She let out a soft chuckle. "Lovely day."

"Yeah." Rainbow snorted, fidgeting slightly. Rarity noticed Dash biting her own bottom lip. She let out another chuckle.

"Do you happen to know what time it is, Rainbow?" Rarity asked, scraping at a wretched glob of mud that'd had the audacity to stick to one of her hooves.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "What makes ya think I'd know that?"

"Aren't all pegasi naturally attuned to the skies?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Furthermore," Rarity continued, "isn't time judged by the position of the sun or moon in the sky?"

"I guess, but..." Rainbow threw her forelegs in the air. "Look, what the hay does this have to do with anything? What are you gettin' at?"

"Nothing," Rarity said, glancing at her forehoof—it wasn't clean or filed nicely, but it would have to do. "I just wanted to know what time it was." She wiped at her nose with her foreleg; her coy smirk was left unseen.

There was a long pause as Rainbow stared at Rarity, eyes narrowed. Eventually, she sighed and glanced at the murky veil above them. "I'd say it's around six-thirty. Seven-thirty at the latest."

Rarity let out a dramatic gasp. "My, my. I had—"

She was silenced by a hoof being thrust into her mouth. Rainbow's stare could freeze Tartarus.

"What are you trying to do, Rarity?" she asked, her voice as cold as her glare. "What do you want me to say? Just get to the point already."

Rarity sighed. What did she want her to say? The more she thought of it, the more she realized just how pointless her attempts at small talk were. Did they serve a purpose? Most definitely not. Maybe it was because she hated the silence. Maybe it was because she hated to see anypony in a seemingly down mood—sure, she wasn't a Pinkie-Pie-level smile-lover, but she hated the sight of a frown. Or maybe it was just that she wanted to hear Dash speak, see her smile, giggle at how flustered she could get when something annoyed her. Finding no answer, she shook her head. "Nothing, Rainbow. Just trying to make conversation."

"Well, then," Rainbow said, rising to her hooves. "How 'bout ya try 'making conversation' on the road. I've had it up to here with this friggin'... _everything_." She snorted and trudged away from the pond. It took Rarity a moment to register that Dash was marching off, and by the time she was up and following, Rainbow was already a good hundred meters away. Though Rarity was more of a snail than a track star, she was surprised at how quickly she was able to catch up. Rainbow Dash had returned to her slumped form. She trotted up beside the droopy pegasus and leaned down, trying her best to lock eyes—eye contact was proper etiquette and of utmost importance in dealing with a distressed friend.

The thing that took Rarity most by surprise was Rainbow's face. Her mouth was curved downwards into a tight scowl, but her eyes glowed with what Rarity could only call pain. What was bothering her?

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than Rarity spoke. "Rainbow Dash, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure, what?"" Rainbow muttered, not looking up or losing a step.

"Well," Rarity said. "I couldn't help but notice that you seem a bit... _bothered_ this morning."

Rainbow stole a quick glance at her, eyes burning. "Yeah, so?"

"I was wondering if, perhaps, you'd like to talk about it. Do you want to?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

Rainbow stopped and looked Rarity dead in the eyes. Rarity expected Dash's eyes to be filled with anger; instead they simply looked tired. "Why're you so set on getting me to spill my guts to you, huh?"

"Why, it's only fair," Rarity said. "You listened to me when I was upset, so why shouldn't I want to return the favor?"

"Fine. You want to know what's wrong? Well, I'll tell you. I haven't flown in two days, my wing hurts, I'm tired and hungry, and I only slept about an hour last night because I realized how big of a jerk I was to you. So, yeah, that's what's wrong." Rainbow's voice began to crack near the end, and from the look in her eyes Rarity knew it was far from one of her typical voice cracks.

Rarity bit her lip and kicked a twig sticking out of the grass. "Oh, Dash, you weren't a jerk... well, not a_big_ one at least. Sure, what you did was a bit rude, but, well, I probably shouldn't have been quite as..._dramatic._" She added a laugh at the end; the corners of Rainbow's lips didn't even fidget.

Silence overtook them—it was becoming as normal as the wind nowadays—as they continued to move forward. There were treetops in the distance, Rarity could see them clearly without squinting now, but besides that there was simply grass as far as the eye could see, the occasional rock or hill making a surprise appearance before vanishing among the endless green. Rarity groaned. While she was not one for adventuring through the unknown, and while she was glad that she was at least safe, she did wish that something would happen to make all this walking a tad less dull.

_Maybe a deer tribe or even a herd of nomadic ponies. _She went through the ideas in her head, smiling slightly. _Ooh, yes, deer would be splendid. I hear that antlers are big in Manehattan this year. Oh, the fine hats I could make. And they have such a fond appreciation of the colors of nature too! _She sighed. _No, Rarity, we mustn't get our hopes up. Deer tribes don't travel through the plains; they are forest dwellers. _A small squeak escaped her lips as she glanced to the distant trees. _Hmm, maybe I..._

The thought was left uncompleted as Rainbow Dash spoke.

"Look, I'm really sorry about last night."

"Rainbow Dash, we have been over this. There is no need to—"

"Let me finish!" She jumped back a little, seemingly shocked by her own volume. "Please," she continued in a much quieter voice, "just let me finish." She sighed. "I shouldn't have laughed at you. I was just..." The words drifted off as she glanced to her right. "Yeah, I was making fun of you at first. I mean, you were as obvious as an elephant in a flowerbed there, Rare. Just all like..." Rainbow's eyes bugged out and let her tongue hang out of her mouth. After a few seconds her composure fell and she giggled, but it lacked the luster it usually held.

Rarity didn't notice this; she was too busy scoffing. "I resent your accusation! I most certainly did not like some sort of feral dog!"

Rainbow shot her a brief smirk. "And you know what your face looked like, how?"

Rarity said nothing, instead resorting to pouting.

Rainbow gave a quick chuckle—though, judging from the way her face fell, it may have just been a grunt. "But... then..." She sighed, veered in front of Rarity, and nearly pressed her nose against hers. "Rarity, you have to promise me somethin'."

She nodded. Rainbow's expression didn't cool down a bit.

"What I'm about to say doesn't leave this valley."

"Okay, Rainbow Dash, if you insist."

With a nod, Rainbow turned around and began to walk forward again, Rarity tripping over her own hooves behind her. Eventually, she got her legs to cooperate, and was parallel to Rainbow once more. It was then that Rainbow began to speak.

"At first it was all for giggles. You were obviously checking me out, and I decided, 'Hey, why not have some fun with this?' I mean, these last two days have... well, I want to say 'sucked,' but that sounds a bit mean. You're a pretty cool pony, Rare. That is, when you're not going head over hooves about boring crap like manes and clothes."

Rarity frowned, but nodded for Dash to continue. All the while, she could feel a storm welling in her gut.

"But then you... ya said that you were... I don't know what that word means, but there was a look in your eyes." Rainbow bowed her head, and Rarity could have sworn she saw her shoulders shake. "Nopony's ever looked at me like that before. And it... it cut deep. Like I really felt bad—still do." She sighed and and her gaze moved from the ground to Rarity. The look nearly made her stop. Dash—Rainbow Dash: self-proclaimed queen of 'awesome,' and postermare for all that was 'cool'—was crying. Not sobs or even steady streams, but the lurching of her chest and misty eyes told the tale. When Dash spoke again, it was barely above a whisper. "I don't want to hurt you, Rarity. I like you too damn much."

Rarity couldn't believe her ears. She could barely even think, and when she replied, "I like you too, Rainbow," her lips were moving completely on autopilot. Rainbow liked her. That shouldn't come as a surprise—they were Elements of Harmony, and, even though they weren't 'super-ultra-bestest-friend' they got along perfectly well in spite of their glaring differences in attitude and opinions. So, why did this revelation make her heart nearly leap out of her chest? Why was her face as hot as metal on a summer day? Why was it that the only thing her legs wished at that moment was to be wrapped around Rainbow Dash?

She was about to respond—with what words, she could not say—but Rainbow had already started walking again. It took her longer to catch up this time.

"Heh, you're right, Rare," Dash said as soon as they were side by side again. "Lettin' junk out really does help."

"I told you it would," Rarity said quickly. "But, I have to ask, is that all you wanted to talk about?" She had no idea what she wanted out of Dash, or at least that's what she told herself. In the back of her mind, though, she knew exactly what she wanted Rainbow to say.

A confession. A declaration.

"Eh, pretty much," Dash said with a shrug. Suddenly, her eyes brightened. "Hang on. There is another thing. A... preposition."

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'proposition,' Dash."

"Whatever."

Rarity couldn't help but chortle. It was good to have the old, brash Rainbow back; upset Rainbow just didn't feel right. "Anyway," she said once her giggles were under control, "you were saying?"

Rainbow shrugged again. "It was nothing, really."

"Hmph!" Rarity stuck out her bottom lip. "You can't just pique my interest and leave me hanging like that."

"Well, tough luck." Rainbow gave a quick laugh. Rarity had to admit it was strange, the way Rainbow Dash could transition between emotions in a flash; all evidence that Rainbow had even been upset was gone, save for Rarity's memory.

All of a sudden, Rainbow gasped, and her eyes lit up like the Las Haygas strip. "Hey, whaddya say we make this trek a bit less boring?"

"What did you have in mind?" Rarity asked.

"I dunno. I was gonna suggest a race, but that'd be silly." Rainbow shot her a smirk. "I mean, you're not much of a racer, and besides, I don't want to embarrass you."

Rarity arched her eyebrow. "Really now? 'Embarrass?' And what do you mean by that, pray tell?"

"No offense, Rare, but I could beat you in a race if my wings _and _legs were lopped off."

"How sure are you about that?"

"Two hundred percent," Rainbow said, an impish grin spreading across her face.

"Where to?"

Rainbow tilted her head. "'Scuse me?"

It was Rarity's turn to smirk. "You want to race? Well, let's race then."

"You sure?"

"Of course. What makes you think I'm not?"

Rainbow simply smiled and shook her head. "Fine. Here—" She pointed to a distant speck. "—to that boulder over there."

Rarity squinted, stared at the boulder, looked over to Rainbow Dash, then back to the boulder, and gulped. What had she just gotten herself into? Her definition of a 'hard run' was a sprint to the kitchen to turn off the oven before Sweetie Belle burned the Boutique to the ground.

Sweetie Belle...

A race gave her an excuse to speed up, and the faster she moved, the faster she got back home. She glanced at Rainbow Dash, who was already preparing for the race. She was stretching, just as she always did before any race, though she didn't seem to be taking it that seriously. Rarity smiled. _They always underestimate a lady. Daft ponies, the lot of them. _As Dash began to stretch out her hind legs, she shot Rarity a knowing glance. Rarity simply rolled her eyes, and looked off towards the boulder—the forest couldn't be far beyond it. She looked back to Rainbow. Even if she did lose horribly, at least there was a lovely view she could enjoy.

A part of her wanted to slap herself for such crude thoughts. That part was obviously the kind that didn't enjoy a bit of fun, and she ignored it as she should.

"So, you ready to lose," Rainbow called out, rousing her from her thoughts. She was low to the ground, ready to bolt.

Rarity chortled. "Oh, it is on, darling." She lowered herself into a ready position as well. "How should we start this?"

"On the count of three," Rainbow said. For a while, all was silent, save for distant birdsongs. Then Rainbow continued, "One... two...

"..._Three_!"

As was to be expected, Rainbow got a good start, and was many meters away from Rarity in a matter of seconds. Still, just as Rarity guessed, Rainbow clearly wasn't looking at her as serious competition; her run was more of a trot than a gallop. Rainbow was comfortable. Rarity had her right where she wanted her.

A lady doesn't leap. A lady paces. A lady waits. And when she sees an opening, a lady attacks full-force.

Every muscle in her body pushed at once, and Rarity soon found herself gaining on Dash. She looked over at her and gave a sly smile. Rainbow still thought she had a good lead. _Oh, Dash, _Rarity thought. _So confident, but oh so oblivious. _Her gaze traced Rainbow's body, from her flowing mane to her thundering hooves. A familiar heat rose in Rarity's chest. She'd always had a weakness for athletic bodies.

Around the moment that Rarity's eyes moved from Rainbow's waving tail to her... intriguing posterior, a loud yell entered her mind. She looked away quickly, and noticed that Rainbow had noticed her. _Why must she always catch me at the worst possible times? _ However, judging by Rainbow's quick increase in speed, she was far more concerned with losing than what Rarity's eyes might be lingering on.

By that point it was a lost cause. Rainbow was putting actual effort into racing her now, and was already way ahead. Rarity should have just given up then, slowed her gallop and lowered her head in defeat, but something pushed her forward. Her legs were working harder than they'd ever done before, and her whole body was encased in a feeling of numbness. At that moment there was only her and Rainbow Dash. By some miracle, she found herself gaining ground again. It was like a dream; even her mind felt like it was adrift. She couldn't hear her hooves or breath, couldn't feel the burning in her legs or chest—she wasn't even sure if she was moving anymore. Her eyes were locked on Rainbow Dash, admiring the natural way she moved at unnatural speeds, enjoying the way her muscles rippled, and adoring the gleam in her eyes—one of pure joy and determination.

And then, all at once, it stopped.

Rainbow slowed, and Rarity slowed with her. They both came to rest in the shadow of a boulder as tall as they were. For a second, everything was peaceful. Then all the exertions hit Rarity at once, and she collapsed to the ground in a groaning heap, her legs splayed out and her back shaking. Everything hurt.

"Rainbow..." she managed to whimper.

"Yeah?" Dash gasped out a response.

"Remind me to never do this again."

Rainbow laughed. "I'll try."

Rarity could only whimper in response.

"I gotta admit," Rainbow said after a long pant-filled pause, "I'm impressed. Didn't think you had such a flair to you, Rare."

"Neither did I," Rarity said, her voice but a squeak.

"Man, that was cool. We should race again sometime."

"Let's not and say we did. I don't think my legs will ever move again."

"Eh, you're fine," Rainbow said. Rarity could hear her hooves breaking blades of grass as she walked around. _How is she able to move already?_ "Just gotta remember to prep yourself next time," Rainbow added. "Racing on stiff muscles is just asking for a bad time."

"Sure..." was all Rarity could manage. How could Rainbow Dash, or any athletic pony for that matter, deal with a life of pain such as this? All she wanted now was to lay there and never move again.

"Hey, Rare, get up!"

"Ungh..." Rarity mumbled.

"C'mon!"

"No."

"I think you'll like this."

"Rainbow," Rarity muttered, lifting her head, "I swear if this is another one of your jokes, I'll... I'll... huh?"

Rainbow was standing a ways off, staring at something Rarity couldn't see on the account of the boulder. Rainbow looked over at her and motioned for her to come over. Rarity sighed whimpered as she slowly rose to her hooves. She couldn't feel her legs, but somehow she was able to make it over to where Rainbow stood. She leaned against the giant rock and glowered at Rainbow Dash. "This had better be good," she groused.

Rainbow said nothing. Instead she shot Rarity one of the biggest grins she'd ever seen—winning-the-Best-Young-Flyers-Competition-lev el big. With a groan, Rarity followed Rainbow's gaze...

...and her lips formed a smile that was just as wide.

Before her sat a large crack in the earth, as wide as a street, twisting off into the distance.

Ghastly Gorge.

She fell back on her haunches, the smile on her face only growing. She felt Rainbow give her a pat on the back, but her mind barely registered it. She was too happy to think or feel.

They were almost home.


	8. Chapter 8

With a sigh, Rarity released a small pebble from her magic and kicked at it with her right foreleg, catching it at an angle. It took a couple of hops towards the lip of the gorge, but stopped a few hairs shy of a echoing freefall. Coward. Rarity wasn't usually one for playing with rocks, nor was she usually one for insulting said rocks for not obeying her will, but what else was there to do?

Each step felt like it was only taking Rarity further away from her destination, even though it was the first time in two days she could say, without the slightest hint of doubt, that that wasn't the case. Ghastly Gorge began right outside of Ponyville. Since they had come across it at the end, and Ponyville was nowhere to be seen... well, it didn't take a genius to figure out which way was the right way.

That, of course, did nothing to dull the sheer boredom of it all.

A part of her kept screaming out that talking to Dash would make time pass rapidly. That same part was completely and unabashedly infatuated with Rainbow, and letting it speak its mind would only lead to stuttering, blushing, and most unladylike glances. Even covered in grime and cuts, trudging her way through untamed wilderness, Rarity would not let such crude things bubble to the surface.

Still, trying wouldn't hurt.

"Um, Rainbow?" she began. "If I may ask a... tiny question. How much longer would you say we have?"

Rainbow Dash turned around, glancing over Rarity's shoulder, and then looked back in the direction they were headed, never slowing a bit. "I'd say we still have a few hours of walking ahead of us."

Rarity gulped. Skirting around exacts: never a good sign. "Define 'a few hours,'" she said with a broad grin, as if a charming smile would wash away cold, hard reality.

Dash sighed, lifting a hoof and smacking twiggy branch off a dead tree—it seemed messing with inanimate objects to deal with boredom was a universal constant. "Six. Seven. Maybe eight."

First there was only silence. Then the squeaks poured forth.

"Wh-wh-wh-what?" Rarity whimpered. "Eight... eight hours?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I said six, seven, _or _eight. And even that was just guessing. Might be less. Sheesh, you always expect the worst, Rares."

"Is that not smart?" Rarity asked, quickening her pace until she was directly parallel to Rainbow. "In the last two days, we've crashed, hurt ourselves—granted, not equally—gotten lost, dirty, and worn ourselves out." She took a deep breath, wiping her brow. "Honestly, Dash. At the moment, if there are multiple options, I'd go for the worst possible one."

"You're such a pessimist," Rainbow chuckled. "Jeez, you're never gonna get anywhere with that amount of confidence."

Rarity stopped dead in her tracks. "Excuse me?"

Rainbow stopped and lifted her head back, staring towards the descending sun. She let out a deep sigh that seemed to last for a minute. Then, without taking a breath, she said, "Forget it."

Rarity was about to prod Rainbow—was she criticizing her? The _nerve_—but quickly thought better of it. She just wanted to get home; arguments could wait for later.

Silence overtook the duo once more. The clops of their hoofbeats droned on and on until they were but a faint echo in the back of Rarity's mind. Afternoon passed, and soon the sky was a dim orange and purple. Another day had passed in which Rarity seemed to only communicate with her thoughts. It was a shame they weren't saying much.

"We should find someplace to set camp," Rainbow said, coughing slightly. It felt like the first time Rarity had heard that harsh voice in hours. Sure, Dash had tried off and on to start conversations, but they never really went past small talk:

"_This weather's killer, huh?"_

"_Yeah..."_

"_Man, I can't wait to get back."_

"_Same here..."_

Rarity had come across livelier conversations in cemeteries. At least there ponies tried to be poetic. The only reason Rainbow had even spoken to her was to stop that ringing in the ears that always came with prolonged silence. At least that's what Rarity thought. It made sense; there were few noises as annoying as unceasing tinnitus.

After a bit of quick glances in every which direction, Rainbow's ears perked up and she quickly bolted into the shadows. Rarity squinted, trying to see what had caught the pegasus' attention, but couldn't make out black from the slightly less black.

"Hey, Rare!" Rainbow called out from somewhere in the darkness. "Get over here."

"Get over... where, exactly?"

"There's a cave over here."

"'A cave?' Rainbow Dash, if that is meant to be a summons, it is a truly awful one." A chill sprinted down Rarity's spine, from mane to tail. Camping in a cave? It made her gag. Sleeping in an old farmhouse? Well, it was raining and she needed shelter. Sleeping in the wide-open? She was upset and not thinking straight... and she had to admit that the breeze was quite nice—especially on a troubled mind. A cave? Even in the middle of nowhere a lady must have standards.

A groan echoed through the growing darkness. "Look, it's either in here or outside."

Rarity scoffed. "I slept fairly well outside last night. I'm sure tonight will be no different."

"Last night you had grass. Whatcha got now? Rocks? Dirt and rocks. Good luck getting your beauty sleep." A chuckle filled the still air; Rarity rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going into some dank, spider-ridden cave, Rainbow Dash. Why not just set up camp out here?" Rarity looked up. Thousands of stars dotted the night sky. She could even see a nebula or two. "It's lovely. Not a cloud in the sky."

"Look," Dash said flatly. "It's gonna get _cold _tonight. I'm talkin Whinnypeg in January cold here. I'm gonna have a fire going in here. Trust me, you'll be thanking me for finding this cave before this is all over."

Rarity stood her ground. "And we can't build a fire out here because..."

"A: the wind. B: easier to spot us."

"Wait, wait, hold on a moment," Rarity stammered, taking a few steps towards the shadows. It was dark. Too dark. She shook. "Are you saying you _don't _want us to be spotted."

"Not in Ghastly Gorge, no."

Rarity forced a laugh. Dash had to be joking. "But, Rainbow Dash... what..." She shook her head. 'Easier to spot us.' As if that was a bad thing. She cleared her throat before continuing. "What if a search party comes through here?"

"They're not." Rainbow's voice was low, serious. Rarity could see her eyes reflecting the moonlight. "Nopony would willingly go through Ghastly Gorge. As far as they're concerned, if we're here we're probably dead."

"You flew a race through here, though."

"Yeah, 'cause I was flying—flying fast," Rainbow said. The sound of twigs knocking together graced Rarity's ears. "Only thing I had to worry about," Rainbow continued, "were thorns, rocks, and quarry eels. And even just those thing almost did me in. Ghastly Gorge is a messed up place. Worse than the Everfree. Most of the creatures around here are landers, predators, and nocturnal."

It took a moment for Rarity to understand those words, but when they hit they hit hard. She crouched, shaking like a dead leaf in a hurricane. "Well... isn't that l-lovely. How do you know this anyway?"

An odd grinding sound filled the air, followed by a few mumbles. There was a long moment of silence before Rainbow spoke. "Spend enough time around Fluttershy, and enough time flying around these parts to round up clouds, and you learn the place." As soon as she finished, the grinding continued. The sound brought images of starving manticores and wolves and all sorts of creatures with pony-piercing fangs to Rarity's mind. She couldn't stop shaking.

_Deep breaths, _Rarity thought. _Deep breaths. Dash is trying to scare you. Again. How often has she done that? Three, four times? Yes, this is but another one of her 'spooky stories.' _She gave a brief chuckle._Honestly, Rarity, you're overreac—_

A spark. A flame. With a bloodcurdling shriek, Rarity was nearly a mile into the air. She landed on her hooves, body lowered like a frightened cat, coat an even paler shade than usual. Once the burst of fear died down, she was greeted by the angelic sound... of Rainbow Dash laughing at her.

The frown that spread across Rarity's face could've been measured in miles.

"Why is it that you find my suffering so amusing?" she asked through gasps for air.

"Just do," Dash replied, sitting down with a loud grunt and raising her forehooves to the campfire. Muttering words even a mechanic wouldn't utter, Rarity made her way into the cave—hating the world as a drop of Celestia knows what fell on her back not two steps in—and plopped down across from Dash, locking eyes with the pegasus. If looks could kill, Dash would be bloated by now.

And to make it worse, Rainbow couldn't seem to wipe that manure-eating grin off her face. Oh, how Rarity loathed Rainbow Dash

But, oh, how she was enthralled...

_No! _It took far too much effort to keep Rarity from literally slapping herself. _It's accepted, not embraced!_she inwardly scolded. _You are... attracted to her, but that is no excuse to start acting like a barbarian._

"Something on your mind?" Rainbow asked, eyebrow raised. The fire reflected off her ruby eyes. Stunning. She had always envied Dash's eyes—had envied Dash in general. _Given such wonderful features, and she doesn't even care. _Rarity shook her head. Her mouth dropped open, but for the longest moment the words simply wouldn't come out. After what felt like an eternity, she found her tongue.

"Uh... just thinking," Rarity mumbled, tapping her hoof on the ground, sending a paper thin cloud of dust into the air.

"'Bout what?"

Rarity shrugged. "Just... um..." She let her voice trail off as she leaned forward. She could feel sweat starting to form on her brow; at least she had the campfire to use as an excuse. "I was wondering. You said there were predators—vicious, pony-hungry beasts—out here, correct?" Rainbow nodded, and Rarity continued. "Well, isn't a campfire a little... obvious?"

"We're fine." Rainbow's grin glowed in the firelight. "We can see anything coming, and when we turn in for the night we'll put the fire out. Like we aren't even here."

"Last time I checked, wolves still have noses, Rainbow."

Dash rolled her eyes. "There's no guarantees, Rare. Chill. 'Sides, I'll kick the tails off any wolf that even gets within spitting distance of here. We're almost home. Let's just... I don't know, try _not _to think that everything's the end of the world."

"Well, we won't get home if we are hors d'œuvres for a pack of ravenous monsters."

Rainbow threw her forelegs in the air, shook her head, groaned loudly, then slumped in defeat, head still on a swivel. "Do you always have to be so friggin' dramatic?" she grumbled.

"Most times, yes," Rarity answered. "Though..." she continued when she noticed Dash shoot her a glance that was equal parts annoyed and... pleading? Odd. "... I guess I probably should tone it down just a tiny bit."

Dash sighed and tossed a nearby twig into the fire, sending sparks sailing into the air. "Better than nothing," she muttered. Rarity chose to ignore the comment.

Silence was a sound Rarity had grown used to over the past few days. She liked to think that it was simply the fact that she and Dash were so different that was keeping conversations from springing up, but that would be a lie; even she couldn't deny that. She was avoiding Dash. Avoiding the kiss. Avoiding the unceasing storm bubbling within her, growing stronger by the hour.

Avoiding herself.

It was in moments of dissonance, such as her current train wreck, that she would ask herself a question:_What would Rainbow Dash do?_

She smiled as the answer came to her, like a light bulb turning on in her head: _Stop hiding._

"So, Rainbow," she began, clearing her throat, "how did you learn to light a fire anyway?"

"Applejack taught me." Rainbow snorted. "She's a horrible teacher—thought I should have it down on the first try. But... eh, I learned, so there's that." She leaned back. "Granted, I'd prefer having something like a pet phoenix to keep around to light these babies up in the blink of an eye. Quick and effective, ya know?"

"Not completely," Rarity said, rubbing the back of her head with her hoof, "but I get enough."

"Not like it'd really make much difference." Rainbow sighed. "Gotta be able to do it with stick or stones or... whatever things out here can cause fire."

"Why is that?"

"Wonderbolts," Rainbow said with a shrug. "Have to know these things."

A breeze blew through the cave, tickling the flames and sending a shiver through Rarity's chest. "Hmm... I had no idea. Forgive me, but I've always assumed the Wonderbolts were only about, well, flying fast and doing tricks."

"Eh, not surprised. That's exactly what they make it out to be... _until _you get to the training camps. Then you find out what it's really like."

"If you don't mind me asking, Dash... what is it 'really like'?"

Rainbow fell back against the cave wall and sighed. "Crazy's a good word for it. Last camp I went to, we had this lesson where we were thrown on a random cloud in the middle of nowhere, wings tied up, and told to survive for two days." She smirked. "As you can tell, I passed."

"Really now? I didn't realize you were alive." This comment was met with a few giggles from Rainbow. Rarity smiled. W_hen in doubt, humor them. _It was a rather bad joke, but something was better than nothing.

"But yeah, the Wonderbolts are a little bit extreme, sometimes. All these lessons on navigating unknown locations, surviving in the wilderness, first aid, and all that junk. Don't tell you that on the posters."

Rarity leaned forward. "Sounds like somepony's getting a bit disillusioned."

Eyebrow arched and head tilted, Rainbow stared at Rarity for a long moment, blinking. After what felt like forever, her eyes lit up and she spoke. "Eh... well, I mean it's not perfect, but it's still awesome. I mean, come on! Making a living off of being awesome; what more could you possibly want?!" She sighed, looking off into the distance. In the light of the campfire, her eyes shone like the finest rubies. Rarity's gut felt like it had grown wings and started doing loops.

"My whole life, I've wanted to do that, Rares," Dash continued. "Fly in the Wonderbolts, I mean. Everything I've ever done has been for that. It's my dream, and... well, what's a pony who doesn't follow their dreams? I'll tell ya what: nothing. I wouldn't have even come to Ponyville if it weren't for them, so... no, I'm not disillusioned. It's just a little chip on the most awesome thing ever."

Rarity just stared at Dash. When had she gotten so deep? "Huh... well I must admit, I'm glad to hear you're still thinking that way. You haven't mentioned the Wonderbolts in... well, a few months, actually, and I was concerned that maybe you'd fallen out of love with them. Good to hear you haven't though. Watching you fly is rather dazzling, I must say. Plus, that flight suit would look... _dashing_ on you." Rarity couldn't suppress the giggles that poured forth. "Oh my, that was a dreadful joke, forgive me."

"Mhmm..." Rainbow smirked. Rarity expected her to go on, but... nope. Rainbow simply nodded, a sly smile on her face. The heat of Rarity's cheeks would've melted steel. _If only I could read minds. Then I'd be able to accuse her of mocking me. I know she is!_

"Seriously though... thanks, Rares."

The words caught Rarity off guard. Had she just heard Dash correctly? "Excuse me?"

"Hearing you say you enjoy my flying," Rainbow explained. "That means a lot to me. When we first met, you hadn't even heard of the Wonderbolts, and now... who's the smartest money in a race?"

"Fleetfoot. Small but fast." Had she not felt her lips moving, her vocal chords shaking, Rarity wouldn't have believed that those were her own words. On one hoof, she wanted to hide. After all, her enjoyment of the Wonderbolts—of stunt flying in general—was a lock and key secret, like if Rainbow Dash had a love for dolls. But, on the other hoof, it was something they had in common. Something they could talk about.

And she loved talking with Rainbow Dash, especially about things that excited both of them.

Because...

_Oh, just admit it. You love her._

Rarity groaned and put her hooves to her face, rubbing her eyes, massaging her temples, hoping that the circular movements would somehow make the truth disappear. She knew that her feelings for Rainbow had... changed in the past two days, but 'love' was a strong word—a powerful one. To say that she _loved_ Rainbow Dash would be simply silly.

_And yet you fell head over hooves with that Prince Blueblood._

Of course, that was different. After all, he was a—

_A stallion. Yes, and how did that work out for you exactly?_

Rarity whimpered. Not only had her mind turned against her; it was making a point.

Finding no solace within her own head, Rarity forced herself to look back to Rainbow Dash. She was smiling that typical brash smile, eyes showing that same glint. Rarity forced a smile back, but she couldn't stop her forelegs from shaking a tad.

"So," Dash said, "you _do_ pay attention when I talk about the Wonderbolts."

"Heh heh, guilty as charged. What can I say? Flight is a majestic thing."

"Haha, I knew it!" Rainbow thrust a forehoof in the air. "I told AJ, but she said I was lying through my teeth. Aw yeah! Score: Rainbow Dash!"

Rarity's brow was about to burst through the ceiling. "Pardon? Did you and Applejack... bet on me... over the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow nodded, eliciting a loud sigh from Rarity. "And pray tell, what was the wager?"

"Nothing special," Dash said, leaning back, placing her forelegs behind her head like a pillow. "Just a barrel of cider!"

"Really? Applejack was willing to give up that much over a measly bet? Seems a bit extreme."

"Well, if you know which buttons to push, you could get that girl to bet the world. 'Specially if it's a challenge she's sure to win." Rainbow shot a devilish smile at nothing in particular. "Too bad for her, 'sure' doesn't mean squat."

All Rarity could do was giggle and shake her head. Rainbow was good company. Not perfect, but nopony ever was. Rarity enjoyed spending time with her. There was hardly a dull moment, and when there was, Dash was trying everything in her power to make it somewhat fun.

"Never change, Dash," Rarity said, smile no longer forced.

"Could say the same for you," Rainbow replied. "Sure, I'm not big on the whole frou-frou stuff, but you're more than just that, Rares. Besides... um..." Dash swallowed hard. "Can you keep what I'm about to tell you secret? Ya know, just between us?"

Rarity nodded. "Of course, Rainbow Dash." She was all for gossip, but she also was not one to break a request. There were many levels of rudeness, and betraying a friend was near the top—the absolute worst.

"Guess this is my own confession, heehee." It was Rainbow's turn to force a smile; Rarity saw right through it. "Okay... so... I kinda, sorta, maybe like wearing your dresses." She flinched before the sentence had left her mouth.

"Really?" Rarity asked. Usually she had an ability to read a pony's emotions—Dash being no exception—but she had to admit that this one caught her off guard.

"Yeah, I know, laugh it up," Dash mumbled.

"Was I laughing?"

Rainbow didn't respond, instead choosing to play with the cave floor. "They make me feel pretty is all," she mumbled, barely loud enough for Rarity to hear. "And... well, I know I don't show it, but I kinda like to feel like I'm pretty sometimes."

"You are," Rarity said. "Honestly, Rainbow, if you think you aren't pretty, you had best have your eyes checked." She laughed, but quickly stopped when she noticed Dash's flat look.

"Hey, you're the one who's always going on about how I need to 'take better care of my mane,' and all that!"

"Well, yes, that would be a welcome change, but that doesn't mean you aren't pretty. You most certainly are." Rarity wasn't sure if Rainbow blushed at that statement, or if it was simply the campfire reflecting off her face.

"...Thanks," Rainbow said, head lowered but eyes locked on Rarity's, giving a hint of a smile. Rarity smiled back.

"Still, though," Rarity added. "Getting your mane styled every once in awhile would be nice."

"Yeah... not gonna happen."

Rarity laughed. "It was worth a shot." Rainbow returned the favor, her chuckles seeming to light up the cave. It made Rarity smile wider than she thought possible. For a long while, she simply sat silently, watching Dash laugh, smile, be completely joyful and alive. Rarity liked seeing Rainbow happy and carefree; it made her smile and forget where they were and what had happened over the last few days.

For the most part.

She groaned. Her mind wouldn't give her a break. With a huff, she lay down beside the fire, chin resting on her crossed forelegs.

"Yeah," Rainbow said, "it is getting a bit late, huh?"

"Mhmm." Rarity yawned. "I think I am going to turn in for the night."

"Yeah, same here. Sooner to bed, sooner we can get up and get outta here, right?" Rainbow chuckled. She rose to her hooves, scooped up a pile of dirt beside her—half in her forelegs and the other half in her good wing—and dumped it on the fire. The cave was dark now; Rarity couldn't see an inch in front of her.

"Well, goodnight," Dash said from somewhere in the darkness. "You know..." she added. "We should hang out some more when we get back home. We don't hang out nearly enough. Whaddya say?"

"I'd... love that," Rarity replied, unsure if the tugging on her lips was a smile or a frown.

"Nice..." Rarity imagined that Rainbow was smiling—she hoped it. "'Night, Rares."

"Sleep well, Rainbow Dash." Rarity closed her eyes and veered towards slumberland almost instantly. Her thoughts were filled with images of rainbows streaking across the sky, looping, soaring, a natural grace she could only envy. Such power, such beauty.

The sky. Flying. Falling.

Rarity's eyes shot open. "Rainbow... are you awake?"

A loud grunt filled the cave. "Am now. What's up?"

"I just wanted... to say that I am sorry about..." Rarity's head hurt. Why was it so hard to say? It was just a word after all. "I'm sorry about kissing you." The apology sent a wave of pain through Rarity's chest; she wasn't sure why.

"It's fine, Rare. No need to be sorry," Rainbow replied. "Everything was going crazy. You weren't thinking straight. Things happen."

"Yes, b—"

"No. No 'buts'. I'm not holding anything against you, Rarity. Didn't then, don't now." A chuckle. "And trust me, I'll keep this between us, if you're worried I'll, like, spill my guts to everyone. Pinkie promise, this just has to be between us if that's what you're wanting. I won't bring it up again."

Rarity could only nod. She felt weird, unsure. Rainbow had just said what she'd wanted, but... were they really what she'd wanted? The feeling in her gut wasn't satisfaction, that much she knew.

With a small sigh, she rolled onto her side and watched the stars twinkling outside the cave. One by one they blinked, lulling Rarity to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

_At first, it just seemed like an act. A stupid act, but an act nonetheless._

_Like a rock of feathers and colored light, Rainbow Dash fell through the sky. Rarity watched it happen, at first with a smirk and roll of her eyes, then with a frown and furrowed brow. What purpose would this trick serve anyway? Show off that she could fall fast? Rarity doubted the Wonderbolts would be looking for that quality._

_Of course, Rainbow could've been doing it to show that she could pull out of a chaotic fall without being disoriented, but even that seemed doubtful. Mainly because Dash's facial expression only held two emotions: fear and confusion._

_The crowd filled the stadium with a weighty anticipation. Rarity could almost hear their thoughts: 'What's she trying to pull?' 'Do you think it'll be another Sonic Rainboom?' 'Oh man, what if it's a DOUBLE Rainboom?!' On a raised platform, the Wonderbolt judges—eyes covered with thick goggles, expressions obscured by the hoods of their flight suits—observed the tumbling pegasus with the same way they'd observed a contestant pulling off a basic loop. Even Princess Celestia watched on with bated breath, oblivious to the torrent of sheer panic that only two ponies seemed to notice. Rarity's heart sunk like a stone. Her throat clenched. It was a curse, being the only one capable to read a pony's emotions like a book._

_She turned to her right to find Fluttershy. "Do something!" she yelled. Fluttershy didn't respond. She simply stared at Rainbow's fading form, a small smile on her lips, as if she were watching two kitties play instead of her longtime friend plummeting to certain death. It felt wrong. All of this did._

_To her left was Twilight. Visions of a day long ago—though it felt so near—filled Rarity's mind. "Twilight, do the spell. The wing spell!" Rarity cried. Twilight didn't even look in her direction. "Twilight!" Again, Twilight said nothing, her face nearly identical to Fluttershy's—oblivious, lifeless. Panicked, Rarity grabbed Twilight and shook her. "Twilight! The spell! Rainbow's in..." She let the words drift off; Twilight didn't even blink. In fact, her eyes seemed more like a doll's eyes than those of a pony._

_Rarity felt something clamp around her gut. She looked down over the cloud. Rainbow was but a speck against an endless pane of green._

_It was up to her._

"_Might as well return the favor," Rarity mumbled before taking a deep breath and throwing herself off the cloud bank. _

_Had she taken the time to think about it, Rarity would punch herself dead in the nose for doing such a stupid thing. But love tends to make ponies do the stupidest, strangest things._

_The air tore at her skin, pulling her lips back, stinging every inch of her skin. She wondered what it would be like to hit something at this speed. It was a pointless and morbid thought. At the same time, in Rarity's lifetime, her 'luck' had always seemed to hang out on the 'bad' side of the spectrum. If there were a bird within hitting distance, she'd most likely hit it. _Not like I have a chance of making it out of this alive, _she thought, even her own thoughts muffled by the air roaring in her ears._

_Her eyes stung. Rarity thought they were going to pop at any second. Tears flew from the corners of her eyes, and she couldn't tell the ones of fear from the ones the wind squeezed out of her. That she could still see Dash was a miracle; Rarity hoped it wasn't the only one._

_Closing her eyes and holding her breath, Rarity thought._

_She thought about wings. Long and majestic. She thought about floating, much like a feather floating through the sky. She thought about flying, soaring, the pure grace and beauty of the feat. And, most of all, she thought about Rainbow. She __**had **__to save her._

_A bright light shone against Rarity's clenched eyelids. Slowly, she cracked them open, and was nearly blinded. White light surrounded her; she could feel its heat pressing down on her. Normally, she would have worried about sweat running her makeup and matting her mane. These were not normal times._

_The light faded. Something felt... off. It came from her back, a sense of something touching her. She tried to glance over her shoulder to see what it was. Bad move. The wind caught her just right, and she began to spiral and tumble through the sky, screaming all the way. The blue and green and white blurred into a most terrifying masterpiece. A self-portrait of catastrophe._

_In that moment, Rarity was certain she was going to die. Splatter all across Equestria like a broken flowerpot. She spun and spun, and with each passing second Rarity swore she could hear the ticking of a clock, counting down._

_And then, in that moment of greatest doubt, it happened. A spark. Rarity threw her legs every which way, trying to steady herself. If that helped, it wasn't noticeable. She thought of what a pegasus would do: spread their wings was the only answer she could think of. Not the safest, nor the sanest, but it was all she could think of. In a moment of sheer delusion, Rarity imagined herself as a pegasus, and 'spread her wings...'_

_...Only to have her body jerked back upwards. Her back felt like a bunch of hooks had been poked in it, and were now being pulled. Hard. Gritting her teeth, she tried to look over her shoulder again, preparing herself for another wave of tumbling and chaos. She had barely turned her head at all before her vision was graced with a jaw-dropping, heart-stopping sight._

_Wings. And not those butterfly ones. White-feathered, honest to Celestia wings._

_For a long while, those gorgeous wings were the only thing that existed in Rarity's eyes. They were so beautiful, so powerful, so perfect. Oh, how she wished she could just stare at them forever!_

_Then she snapped to. She blinked, shook her head, and looked back down towards Rainbow. She was farther away than ever now, a mere dot that Rarity had to squint to see. Time was of the essence; Rarity had to get going. Fast._

_Without fixing her disheveled mane or even the slightest hint of hesitation, Rarity dove after Rainbow Dash._

_What had once been a roar was now silent. Rarity could barely feel the air clawing at her face. The ground below was but a blur. The only thing Rarity saw was Rainbow Dash._

"_Get to her," Rarity said to herself. "Get her, grab her, fly her to safety. It's what she did for you. Return the favor."_

_The distance between her and Rainbow closed, but not nearly fast enough. Any second now, Rainbow would hit the ground._

"_I have to get her," Rarity muttered through her teeth. "I __**have **__to!" She hoped that maybe, just maybe, the more she wished, the more she hoped, the more that something out there would listen to her, and make the gears of fate turn in her favor for once, but even when the world is zipping by at a hundred miles per hour, one can see when the odds were against them. Rarity wasn't going to make it in time. She knew that._

_Rainbow Dash seemed to know it too._

_All of a sudden she stopped tumbling. Slowly, she turned in the air until her back was to the ground and her eyes were dead-set on Rarity's. In those beautiful rose eyes, Rarity could see many emotions: sorrow, pain, acceptance, and forgiveness._

_Silence reigned. Even the thundering of Rarity's heart dimmed to nothing. "No, Dash," she wanted to say. "I'll save you. I promise!" But the words just wouldn't come out. Honesty may not have been her element, but in times like these no words beat a flat-out lie._

_Tears sprung from Rarity's eyes, and vanished into the ether behind her. She wasn't sure what they were. Sadness or frustration? It didn't much matter. She had failed Rainbow. She had failed herself._

_She had failed. Plain and simple._

_She looked back at Dash, prepared to at least mouth an 'I'm sorry,' but something about Rainbow's gaze trapped those words in her throat. Dash smiled at her. Rarity couldn't believe it: Rainbow was about to die, and yet she was smiling at her?! Still, these thoughts didn't even register on Rarity's face. For a brief moment, there was serinity—the split second of silence before the crash. Rainbow smiled, Rarity stared back, and all seemed peaceful in the world._

_A tear rolled out of the corner of Rainbow's left eye, and flew right against Rarity's cheek. Rarity didn't even think of wiping it off. And then, Rainbow's lips parted, slowly but calmly._

"_I love y—"_

* * *

"Get up!"

Before the words could even register, Rarity felt something tug on her foreleg. It pulled her up with what felt like the strength of a hundred oxen. The world around her was shadows, and her body didn't feel like her own. She stumbled and fell, but didn't feel it, and was quickly and violently tugged up once more.

Rarity had no idea where she was. A cold wind blew against her face, but was immediately replaced by an unbearable heat. Her legs wobbled around like rubber. Her head bobbed and swayed. Which way was up? She couldn't tell if her hooves were touching ground anymore.

The more time she spent getting pulled along, the more clear the world became. The pitch blackness brightened to a dull gray, and shapes became apparent. Rocks, mostly. The occasional tree branch... from trees that seemed to be following her.

A howl suddenly tore through the night. She blinked and shook her head, her blood as cold as ice. Were those... No. No, they couldn't be.

The world now clear to her, Rarity glanced around, hoping against hope that her fears were simply that; conjurations of a frenzied, drowsy mind. That howl could have just been her brain playing tricks on her. It did have a habit of messing with her far too often.

Rainbow Dash pulled her along, and that mere sight made Rarity feel safer... only to do a complete one-eighty and send a chill down her spine. Dash was running from something; she never ran away from anything. Whatever was going on was freaking the pegasus out, which almost made Rarity's legs lock up. Dash was scared too. That meant that she wasn't imagining things. They were in danger. _Serious_danger.

As if on cue, something off to Rarity's right moved, towering yet lumbering. She turned her head, but only slightly. It didn't take much movement to see it—or rather, _them._

Timber wolves. Dozens of them. They surrounded Rarity and Rainbow Dash, standing atop jagged rocks, their razor-sharp teeth bared. Saliva dripped down from their mouths, and their ravenous green eyes glowed in the dark. Even the shine of their eyes made bile rise in Rarity's throat.

For a moment, the world was once again a bunch of shadows and spots. When it came back into focus, it was a wonder Rarity didn't faint right then and there. The timber wolves were close enough that she could feel their rank breaths blowing against her neck. She turned to her left and right, and her vision was filled with wooden claws and hungry eyes. She looked before her, and wanted to shriek. The abominations had blocked the path. There was no way out.

Her mouth fell open. She could have used that precious air to scream for help, or at least relieve her quaking stomach and burning throat, but instead she chose to speak. After all, they could very well be her last. Yes, she had to make this matter. She closed her eyes, thought hard, took a breath, and let the words roll right from her heart.

"I told you there were wolves!" she yelled straight into Rainbow's ear. "But, _no! _You didn't heed my warning! 'It's fine, Rarity' you said! 'We'll be alright' you said! 'No wolves are going to attack us' you said! Well, good job, Rainbow Dash. You should have listened to me, but noooooo, you just had to build that fire! 'It's going to get cold...' Better cold than _dead!_ Now look at us, Rainbow Dash! We. Are. Going. To._Die!"_

Rarity expected Dash to shoot back at her. In fact, she kind of hoped that she would. An argument was a good way of distracting you from the fact that you were about to be torn limb-from-limb by a bunch of eldritch abominations in the middle of nowhere—or so Rarity believed.

However, Rainbow Dash remained silent, body halfway between a lowered, pouncing state, and perked and attentive. Her ears lay flat against her head, and Rarity could have sworn she heard growling. Not the deep, throaty growls of the wolves, but raspy and very, _very_ familiar.

It didn't take a psychic to see what Dash was preparing to do, and any bit of rage Rarity might have still had in her veins evaporated in the blink of an eye, replaced by shaky hesitance and a hoof-prod to the side or ten.

Rarity wanted to tell Dash to calm down. To not do anything drastic. To not anger the wolves and make their inevitable death even more painful and violent. To not only make matters worse. But she kept her mouth shut. The words caught in her throat, and besides, she couldn't stop Dash even if she wanted to. Rarity knew Rainbow well enough to know that Rainbow did what Rainbow did. Any words or actions otherwise would either be ignored or end in a hoof to the face—possibly both. Try to cage a fighter, and the only thing one could be assured of was bent and broken bars.

Still, Rarity was not the type of pony to let her concerns go unheard.

"Um... Rainbow Dash?"

That was as far as she got. In a flash, Rainbow was twenty yards away, foreleg splintering a timber jaw. It took Rarity a few moments to get her wits about her, and blink her mind back into reality. By that time, Dash had already taken care of five other wolves. Bark, leaves, and limbs lay strewn upon the rocky outcropping. Bits of timber wolf already covered Rainbow's mane and coat, and Rarity couldn't help but mourn. No mane, especially not one so majestic, deserved such suffering.

Her vision now clear, Rarity watched Rainbow dart around, kicking, hitting, and outright destroying any timber wolf that so much as snarled at her. Nothing within spitting distance was safe. Splinters rained down, and green dust filled the air, covering the area in a ghostly haze.

All the while, Rarity stayed back, watching but not lifting a hoof. A lady didn't start fights. Rarity had no qualms with defending herself—she was rather proud of her hoof-to-hoof combat skills, and was more than willing to beatdown anypony who made unwanted advances on her. However, she was not going to go looking for a chance to show off these skills. Days in which she could avoid getting her beloved mane tussled or her well-maintained hooves chipped were her favorite kind.

Luckily for Rarity, the timber wolves weren't asking for a strike—at least, not from her. The few that were behind her walked straight past, attracted to the sparring pegasus like moths to a flame. _Are they hungry, or just trying to defend their territory? _she thought. No answer came to mind.

Within what must have been two minutes at the most, Rainbow Dash had cleared away the wolves blocking the path. Unfortunately, the wolves to the side had, by this time, descended on her, leaving her as locked in combat as ever. Her movements were graceful, as if she were dancing in a ballet. Rainbow jumped atop one, backflipped over to a second wolf (kicking the first one square in the chin while doing so), grasped a branch that stuck out of its head like a horn, and flung the shocked beast into a third one. Without catching a breath, she scissor kicked two pouncing wolves, then thrust each foreleg outwards, suckerpunching two more.

Rarity just stared slack-jawed. Leave it to Rainbow Dash to mix beautiful moves and horrifying violence in a single mesmerizing display.

One by one, they fell in clouds of wood and dust. Though outnumbered, Rainbow was still gaining the upper-hoof. In fact, for a few shining seconds, it seemed like Dash would win the fight rather easily; her speed and agility overpowered the strong-but-lumbering timber wolves.

However, that weighty confidence seemed to find its way into Dash's brain, and she started to get lazy. The spark didn't seem to have much effect at first—even just using one hoof to punch and not bothering to pull off evasive flips didn't seem to hinder Rainbow any. But the missteps began to pile up: a claw grazing her side here, a bite taking off a bit of her mane there. The tides of battle turned quickly, and before Rarity knew what was happening, the timber wolves were the ones standing on a higher ground. Sure, there were only a half-dozen of those monsters left, but Rarity knew how to read a pony, and she could see the truth in Rainbow—from her eyes to her back to her tail.

Rainbow wasn't just getting lazy. She was tired.

With seven swings—two missing completely, and one hitting a leaf—Rainbow was only able to take down a single timber wolf. The other five lowered themselves, stalking closer. Dash swiveled around in the time it took Rarity to blink, and bucked with all her might. Her legs struck true, and two more wolves exploded in a shower of dust. The number was down to three, and once again Rarity began to get her hopes up.

And once again, they were doused like a candle in a torrential downpour.

The timber wolves had managed to get Rainbow into a most precarious position. Her back to the lip of the gorge—and the chasm below—they positioned themselves like a tight 'V', blocking her escape. Had both her wings been healthy, Rainbow Dash would have been able to fly right over them. However, had both her wings been healthy, Rainbow wouldn't have found herself in such a position in the first place.

Snarling, the wolves closed in on the cornered Rainbow. Rarity screamed at her legs to move, but they wouldn't budge. _Rainbow's in trouble, you fools! Move! _she scolded. What she hoped would have rallied her shell shocked legs only made them quiver more. They were within biting distance of the fatigued pegasus now, and Rarity could feel her heart slowing to a stop.

_No, _was all she could think.

The one on the right lunged first, but Rainbow was able to duck underneath it. Attacker two came from the left, and luck was not on Dash's side this time. The wolf slammed into her wing, head lowered. In a way, Rainbow was lucky; only the muzzle of the beast made contact, its sharp teeth not even coming close to tearing in, and her wing was saved from becoming swiss cheese. However, the force combined with her lingering injury, was more than enough.

A piercing cry filled the night. Had Rarity not seen Dash's lips part and chest move, she wouldn't have even guessed it was her who'd screamed. It was so pained. So fragile. It brought tears to Rarity's eyes.

Rainbow collapsed to the ground, shaking and whimpering. The wolves moved in. Rarity couldn't move, couldn't breath—could barely think. The only thoughts running through her mind were about the dream.

Two days ago, she would have dismissed it as just that, a dream, but now she couldn't help but wonder. Was it another premonition? No, it couldn't be. The dream she'd had... was it minutes ago or hours? Rarity couldn't tell anymore. Either way, in that dream Rainbow had fallen from the sky. During a competition. The situations weren't lining up. No, that wasn't a premonition; just her thoughts. But still... she hadn't kissed Rainbow during a flying competition, like in that first dream.

The center wolf was leering above Rainbow now.

_She's about to die! _a voice in the back of her head yelled. _Who gives a damn about that dream?! She's in trouble! Save her!_

Rarity took a closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had to do something, but what? How?! She wasn't 'strong.' Strong-willed maybe, but in situations like this a strong-will only made one feel their limbs getting ripped from their sockets a little less.

_You love her. You love her, and you're just going to let her die?_

A wave rushed over her body.

_No..._

Her eyes flashed open, shining like daggers.

_Not today..._

She rushed forward, the world moving in slow motion all around her.

_Not ever..._

Rearing back onto her hind legs, Rarity slammed her forelegs into the back of the center wolf. She didn't even feel the contact. The wolf exploded into splinters, which flew over the edge of the gorge—a mighty beast reduced to dust in the wind in a matter of milliseconds.

The other two wolves were still focused on Rainbow Dash. Rarity used this to her advantage. She placed her forelegs firmly on the ground and twisted, channeling some of her magic down into them to make sure she was stable. A deep breath, and she bucked with all her might, twisting her body and forelegs as she did so.

Her hind legs tore through the head of the first timber wolf before it knew what had hit it, and the creature blew up like all the others. Much to Rarity's relief, the first kick had taken away little of her momentum. She landed with her tail facing the final wolf. Without a moment of hesitation, she bucked her hind legs out again.

Instead of contact, she felt something grab her right leg. Rarity stole a glance over her shoulder, and her mouth fell open with a squeak. The timber wolf held her hind leg in its claw, and it looked at her with what she swore was a grin. The world returned to normal speed with the rapidly fading adrenaline. For a second, Rarity pondered: _How's it gripping me like that? Why is it smiling? I'm doomed, aren't I?_

She never did get the answers to those questions.

The wolf twisted her leg violently, flinging her against the ground like a ragdoll. Searing pain shot up her leg and through her whole body. Even her mane hurt. Coughing and groaning, Rarity lay still. The pain was too much to move. She watched the wolf approach her through a cloud of upturned dust. Her brain felt like it was a foal's rattle, bouncing all over her skull. Through her blurred vision, she watched the shadowy beast leer above her, teeth bared. Rarity whimpered. She wouldn't be able to see home. She wouldn't be able to make her friends new dresses for a gala she'd now never see. She wouldn't be able to tell Sweetie Belle that she forgave her for the whole teleportation accident.

She wouldn't be able to tell Rainbow Dash that she loved her. Not in this life.

Still, a lady accepted her fate, and Rarity closed her eyes. She held her breath and counted down.

_Do your worst._

_Three..._

She clenched her teeth so hard she thought they'd shatter.

_Two..._

The wolf's fetid breath burned her nostrils.

_One..._

Her last thought, she decided, would last a lifetime. She thought of Sweetie Belle, of her parents, of Twilight, of Spike, of Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, and Applejack. And of the home she'd grown up in, all the happy ponies and lovely smells and sights it had to offer. She thought of her botique. But most of all, she thought about Dash. She hoped that Rainbow wasn't looking. She didn't want Rainbow to see this.

All the thoughts powered through as one, leading her into eternity.

Of course, if this was eternity, then why was her leg still hurting?

_One... _she repeated.

Nothing. Just wind, hoofsteps, and a sharp pain coming from her right hind leg.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, her entire body shaking. _Oh, please tell me I'm not in that other place..._

Rarity wasn't quite sure what she had expected. What she was sure of, though, was that it wasn't the sight before her.

Rainbow Dash stood there, one eye closed, a winning grin on her face. Rarity could see twigs and splinters all over Dash and the ground around her, and even thought she saw a green haze floating like a scrim between Rainbow and her. Once again, Rarity had been saved by Rainbow. What was it, the fifth time now? Did that one back at the farm count? Rarity supposed she could have drowned in that storm, but it didn't really feel like peril on the level of falling from the sky or nearly getting eaten by timber wolves.

But... at the same time. She felt good—especially about the whole 'not being dead' thing.

Not sure what to do, Rarity locked eyes with Rainbow once more, and smiled. "Well, that was something."

Rainbow Dash chuckled, sounding somewhere between mirth and anguish. "Yep... that it was."

Rarity giggled and nodded, lifting herself up with her forelegs into a sitting position. She glanced down at her right hind leg and whimpered, another stinging jolt coursing through it. It lay limply at an awkward angle. Even in the dark, she could see a bruise beginning to form. There was no doubt in Rarity's mind that it was broken. Badly.

And it hurt. Oh, how it hurt.

A shadow fell over her, taking Rarity's mind away from her busted leg. Rainbow was inches away from her face, eyes wide. The smile was gone. Her mouth hung open. Rarity gulped. _What in the name of Celestia and Luna is... _She let her thought drift off as sounds began to crawl out of Rainbow's throat, raspy and unintelligible. Eventually, words followed.

"You..." She covered her mouth with a foreleg and coughed a couple of times, and then returned to the same slackjawed state. "Rarity... you saved my life."

Rarity waved a hoof. "Pssh, you're the one who saved _my—"_

Her words, thoughts, and breaths were halted in their tracks as Rainbow's lips covered her own. Rarity's pupils shrunk to the size of a needle point. Dash pulled away only a second later, looking towards the ground, an intense blush covering her whole face, but to Rarity, it had lasted forever.

She opened her mouth. Maybe to say something. Maybe to catch her breath. Maybe just because it showed her that she was alive. She couldn't think straight. The world spun around her like a tornado, and she felt like she was floating. The moon hung in the ground while rocks and sticks littered the sky.

And then Rarity blacked out.

* * *

When Rarity came to, it felt like she was floating on a cloud. Upon opening her eyes, she found that her weary mind hadn't been far off.

She lay on something light blue and fluffy. Groaning, she lifted her head, and saw that she was riding on Rainbow Dash's back. "Ugh..." she managed as she tried to lift her chin. Why did it feel like she had slept under a boulder for a century? Whining, she rested her cheek against Dash's back once more.

"Somepony's awake," Rainbow said, her voice muffled. Not that it mattered; Rarity could feel the words through Dash's soft back.

"How l—" A coughing fit seized Rarity. By the time she calmed down enough to catch her breath, Rainbow was already answering her.

"A few hours. Off and on. In case ya didn't notice, we're out of the gorge."

"Huh?" Rarity blinked a few times, and the world suddenly appeared to her as it would a newborn foal. Spread out before her eyes were countless apple trees. She knew those trees, knew that familiar breeze, knew that smell of grass.

Were they home? After all this?

"Yep, that's what you think it is, Rares," Dash answered, even though Rarity was positive she hadn't spoken aloud. "Sweet Apple Acres."

All Rarity could do was grunt in response. Everything felt... strange. She had not the words to describe it anymore. Her thoughts drifted in a whirlwind. A familiar pain shot through her right hind leg, signaling her that she was alive. Whimpering, she glanced down at it, finding it splinted between two branches and what looked to be ivy. In the light of the morning sun, she could see just how bad it was: bruised and swollen. A part of her wanted to cry out. _Oh goddesses! Am I destined to be a cripple the rest of my life? Woe is me-e-eee._

Maybe in another time she would have resorted to those dramatics, but not anymore. She was alive. Rainbow was alive. They were home. What else mattered?

"Just rest, Rares," Rainbow said. "We're almost to the hospital." She laughed. "Sorry about the crappy splint job."

"Better than I'd do," Rarity mumbled, her mind and body feeling like they were adrift on the sea, bobbing with occasional wake. It was peaceful.

"Hey, Rare?" Rainbow said, her voice sounding like a recording more than something happening right then and there.

"Mhmm?"

"I'm sorry..." Rarity felt Dash's posture slump. "...about kis—"

"Shh, shh." Rarity reached forward with a foreleg, trying to place it over Dash's mouth but instead clonking the poor pegasus on the head a few times. "Don't apologize," Rarity whispered. "You did nothing wrong—"

"But, I—"

"Hush! Let me finish!" She sighed and took a few breaths. With all her effort, she lifted her head, and looked Rainbow Dash dead in the eyes. Those gorgeous ruby orbs were filled with confusion, with guilt. Rarity couldn't help but laugh; Rainbow always made the silliest, most adorable faces.

"What?" Rainbow said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Rarity tried to think of the words, but they just wouldn't come to her. What words properly expressed what she was about to say, anyway?

_They're not there._

Slowly, Rarity leaned in close to Rainbow and kissed her on the cheek. Her eyes went wide as she tried to sputter out something, but Rarity silenced her, this time succeeding in covering her mouth with a hoof. She smiled and let the silence take hold, their gazes saying all the words that needed to be said. Then, Rarity sighed and spoke, straight from her heart, for all the world to hear.

"I love you, Rainbow Dash."

Before the pegasus could respond, Rarity had already laid her chin back on Rainbow's back, a mixture of a sigh and a giggle escaping her lips. She was tired, and she had to admit that Rainbow Dash made a rather comfortable mattress.

As she drifted off, she thought about many things. She thought about what she would say to Sweetie Belle. She thought of how she would spend the next few weeks of gimpy gaits and wheelchairs. She thought of how it would be if her leg never healed at all. She thought of how her friends and family, not to mention the rest of the town, would react to the tale of their venture back home. She thought about what her newfound feelings for Dash would lead to.

But most of all, she thought about Rainbow Dash. Just Rainbow Dash.

And right as consciousness fell away from her, Rarity thought—no, she _knew—_she felt now-familiar lips kissing her on the nose.


End file.
